FILE PHOTO: Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid delivers a statement at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament,, in Jerusalem, February 13, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Democratic lawmakers in Washington this week to reject efforts to curb US military aid to Israel, telling senators who supported recent attempts to block weapons sales that they were “wrong” and appealing to them not to “give up on Israel.”

The meeting was organized by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a staunch supporter of Israel who opposed both resolutions. Also attending were Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). Lapid also had a separate encounter with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), one of Israel’s leading progressive critics in Congress.

While emphasizing his disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Lapid argued that Israel’s security should remain a bipartisan priority regardless of domestic political disputes.

“I told them not to give up on Israel and to stand with us in the face of the challenges,” Lapid said. “I took advantage of the visit to convince them that they were wrong, and presented them with the facts on the ground.”

In April, the Senate rejected two resolutions led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that would have halted roughly $450 million in weapons transfers to Israel, including bombs and bulldozers. The measures failed, ensuring the sales moved forward. However, observers noted that the vote reflected the largest shift away from Israel in recent party memory.

Lapid sought to draw a distinction between criticism of Israel’s current government and support for the country’s right to defend itself against Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist organizations. According to Israeli media reports, he warned that restricting American weapons shipments during an ongoing war would weaken a key U.S. ally while sending the wrong message to hostile actors across the Middle East.

“Boycotting those who speak out against you is not the way,” Lapid said in a Wednesday post discussing his meeting with senators.

“In the face of opposition in the Senate, you need to work hard, meticulously, to repair relations with both parties. It’s not always fun, but that’s how you fix things. Not with whining and not with boycotts,” he said.

As leader of Israel’s opposition and a potential contender to replace Netanyahu in a future election, Lapid has frequently criticized the prime minister’s coalition on domestic and diplomatic issues. However, during his Washington meetings, he presented a united front on Israel’s core security needs, arguing that disagreements over Israeli politics should not translate into policies that could undermine the country’s ability to defend itself.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attack, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage. Israeli officials have consistently argued that continued American military support is essential to defeating Hamas, securing the release of the remaining hostages, and deterring threats from Iran and its regional proxies.

However, as the war in Gaza has dragged on, Israel has experienced a gradual decline in support from the US public. A majority of the US public now sympathizes with Palestinians over Israelis, according to polling from Pew Research Center.

Further, the Democratic Party’s shift away from Israel is closely tied to evolving public opinion within their base, especially among younger Americans. A slew of polling, including  April data from the Yale Youth Poll, shows that younger voters are far more critical of Israel than older generations. Large shares of voters under 30 now support restricting or even ending US military aid, a position that departs sharply from the long-standing bipartisan consensus in Washington. Polls show that a supermajority of Democrats believe that Israel has committed a so-called “genocide” in Gaza, an assertion which lacks little evidence and has been boosted by foreign entities tied to Iran.