While Republican disarray has been fully exposed in the ugly, fractious contest to elect a new Speaker of the House, the devastating war in the Middle East has exposed fissures in the Democratic Party that cannot be ignored.
Since Hamas brutally attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded, the debate about Israel and Palestinians has intensified, with growing support on the left for the plight of Palestinians.
Social media is chock full of videos and posts reflecting two sides of the conflict, which has divided the left in uncomfortable ways. This isn't a debate limited to fringe parts of the left but reaches across the liberal spectrum.
Pro-Palestine sympathies have grown steadily among Democrats: 49% of party members sympathize more with the Palestinians than Israelis, according to a Gallup poll conducted before the recent Hamas attacks. That's an 11% increase over the past decade. Thirty-eight percent of Democrats said they still favor Israel, a 17% drop from a decade ago, a new low for support toward Israel.
The survey shows that this growth of support for Palestinians has a lot to do with age groups. Millennials are now evenly divided on the issue, with 42% sympathizing more with the Palestinians and 40% with the Israelis, yielding a -2 net-Israel sympathy score, according to the Gallup poll. Older generations — think boomers — tend to sympathize more with Israel, survey data showed.
Shifting attitudes about Israel and the Palestinians shouldn't threaten Democrats or the party at large. Adapting to such changes is what keeps the party relevant and thriving. It's not like the Democratic Party hasn't evolved before. The Democratic Party at one time opposed civil rights! But the party underwent a massive reinvention. Now diversity, equity and inclusion are some of its main priorities.
It is not the role of a political party to dictate how individuals think but to ensure their voices play a role in setting priorities and policy positions. The conflicts in the Middle East are much more nuanced than to say simply "for" or "against." Someone can be pro-Israel and anti-Netanyahu. You can be pro-Palestinian and anti-Hamas.
There is room for the Palestine and Israel debate within the Democratic Party, which must offer a space for all perspectives to be heard. It's also a party for justice and ensuring every group achieves it.
But if Democrats cannot unwind its own infighting, where we unfollow and unfriend people who have a different perspective, then we are no better than the chaos-filled GOP.
Ask yourself this: Is having a real debate about this impossible? Leaving the discussion to a Facebook post or Instagram story removes the sense of discourse that's needed in these fraught times.
We need each other's voices to be a functioning party, and most importantly, a free country.
Liberals will be doing our country a disservice if we do not allow for both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine thoughts. Dissension will happen occasionally, as history shows, and so we must be prepared, not isolating.
The evolution of thought will not stop with this conflict. The Democratic Party has to show that it is the place for people of all perspectives to convene.
And we have to be aware of what's at stake — politically. Democrats have a lot of work to do.
Next year, control of the U.S. House is within reach (thank you, Republicans). Who knows, the Senate could be in play too, and Tennessee might have a key role there.
That work can't be finished if we isolate ourselves from a different perspective.