Democrats to Rally With Pastor Who Suggested Hitler Fulfilled God's Will

Top democrats are set to participate in a rally with conservative Pastor John Hagee on Tuesday in Washington in a show of solidarity with Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7, which was the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. According to Israeli officials, 1,200 people in Israel have been killed as of Tuesday, the Associated Press reported, while over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to officials from the health ministry in Gaza, the AP said.

Since then, many people have taken to protesting the U.S.'s response to the attacks, provoking strong reactions from each side.

The protests have also drawn the ire of political leaders from both major parties, with critics raising concerns that some attending those protests have failed to adequately rebuke Hamas or have even shown support.

Others, however, note that supporting Palestinians does not equate to supporting Hamas or the latest attack against Israel.

On Tuesday, the March for Israel rally kicked off at 1 p.m. local time on the National Mall in Washington and was organized by Jewish organizations as part of a response to critics of Israel.

According to the New York Times, a host of U.S. lawmakers, including Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, and the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, a Democrat of New York are scheduled to appear.

Democratic leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York will also be in attendance, according to both the Washington Postand Axios confirming Jeffries' attendance. Newsweek has reached out to Schumer and Jeffries via email for comment.

In addition, Texas Pastor Hagee will also be in attendance at the rally as he posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, calling for others to join him in Washington.

Hagee, a known conservative has previously suggested in a sermon that Adolf Hitler fulfilled God's will in 2008, according to a CNN story in which then-Republican nominee John McCain told CNN's Brian Todd that he rejected Hagee's endorsement due to the statement.

This along with Hagee's current views on the Israel-Hamas conflict has led to backlash as he is set to speak at Tuesday's rally.

Newsweek has reached out to Hagee via email for comment.

President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now, Hadar Susskind said on X, "Contrary to what I was told, Pastor John Hagee will be speaking at today's rally. I am horrified that he was given this platform. His history of hateful comments should disqualify him from decent company, much less from speaking on stage. He is not welcome and should not speak."

While calling attention to Haggee's past, Waleed Shahid, former spokesperson and communications director for Justice Democrats also took to X to remind others of Schumer and Jeffries' attendance at the rally.

"Democratic Party leaders @SenSchumer and @RepJeffries will be sharing a stage at today's 'March for Israel' rally with far-right, extremist pastor John Hagee. John McCain rejected Hagee's endorsement in 2008 for the pastor's comments saying God sent Hitler to help Jews get to Israel," Shahid wrote on X.

The rally comes after large protests across the United States have continued to call for a ceasefire. A group of Democratic lawmakers have also urged the Biden administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.

A resolution was announced by a number of Democratic members of Congress in October with members such as Delia C. Ramirez, Jamaal Bowman, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Jesús "Chuy" García, Jonathan Jackson, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and many others.

However, many other U.S. lawmakers have also rejected calls for a cease-fire, including Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and New York Congressman Ritchie Torres.

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