James Carville: Israel Stance is Killing Democrats

Democratic strategist James Carville warned that anti-Israel activists associated with the left could damage the Democratic Party politically and morally if the party is seen as tolerating antisemitism.

Speaking on Jim Acosta’s podcast, Carville said antisemitism is a serious and worsening problem, and rejected the idea that concerns over anti-Jewish hatred are exaggerated.

“This antisemitic stuff, it’s sickening, man. It’s a real problem,” Carville said. “It’s not a made-up problem. It’s a real, real, real definitely problem, and it’s getting worse.”

Carville argued that while some anti-Israel activists are aligned with Democrats, many are not actually members of the party, even though Democrats have been blamed for their rhetoric during campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

He pointed to protests against former president Joe Biden at Columbia University, where demonstrators chanted “Genocide Joe,” saying Democrats were blamed for the protests even though many participants were not Democrats.

“A lot of these people are not Democrats,” Carville said. “Understand that.”

The longtime Democratic strategist warned that the loudest anti-Israel voices are receiving disproportionate attention and creating a distorted picture of the party.

“I don’t want to be part of a political party that tolerates hatred, or sometimes encourages it,” he said.

Carville said he does not believe most Democratic voters or elected officials share those views, but warned that activists on the margins are shaping the public conversation.

“I don’t think that’s where the majority of Democrats are, to be fair, but certainly not where the majority Democratic officeholders are,” he said. “But these loudmouths are getting heard above everybody else.”

The comments come as Democrats continue to face internal divisions over Israel following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre and Israel’s military response in Gaza. The issue has fueled campus protests, disputes over US military support for Israel and growing tensions between pro-Israel Democrats and progressive activists.

Carville, a longtime supporter of Israel, said criticism of the Israeli government should not be treated as the same thing as hostility toward Israel or Jews.

“Attack the government of Israel all you want to,” he said. “I don’t like it. I can’t stand it. But I like the state of Israel. You can’t conflate the regime with the people.”

He also said he supports Palestinians as people and believes past peace efforts showed that reconciliation was possible.