Controversy erupted after a leaked audio clip of an Indian-American congressional candidate in New Jersey, in which she described herself as the only Democrat in her race who was fully supporting Israel.The club reignited a debate inside the Progressive Party on ongoing tensions in the Middle East, including the Gaza war and conflict with Iran.Tina Shah is a physician and former White House advisor during the Obama administration. She is running in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. In an April 26 recording, she said she is a “pro-Israel candidate” who supports “unconditional aid” to Israel, and also said she is “the only candidate” in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District race who supports Israel unconditionally.The audio clip went viral on social media platforms including X and TikTok, drawing strong reactions from both progressive activists and pro-Israel Democrats and deepening divisions within the party over foreign policy. This comes as the Gaza Health Ministry estimates that 70,000-75,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.Shah’s comments come at a time when political debate continues in Washington over the Israel-Gaza conflict along with rising tensions between Israel and Iran. The war in Gaza has drawn international concern over civilian casualties and humanitarian conditions.This issue has become a major fault line within the Democratic Party. Progressive lawmakers such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have criticized US military aid to Israel and have pushed for greater protections for civilians in Gaza. Sanders has called for a ban on arms transfers, while Ocasio-Cortez has supported efforts such as the “Bomb Block Act”.At the same time, other Democrats have maintained strong support for Israel. John Fetterman has defended continued military aid and opposed an immediate ceasefire, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has also supported Israel, calling for increased humanitarian aid.
