Washington, D.C. – Palestinian rights advocates are denouncing a congressional resolution that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, calling it a “dangerous” measure designed to restrict and distract from free expression War in Gaza.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed it measure on Tuesday by a vote of 311 to 14, with 92 Democratic members abstaining and voting present.

The symbolic resolution was framed as an attempt to reject the “drastic rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and around the world.”

However, it included language that said the House of Representatives “determines clearly and firmly that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.” It also condemned the “River to Sea” slogan, which human rights activists see as ambitious Call for equality in historic Palestine.

Instead, the resolution described it as a “rallying cry for the extermination of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” It also honored protesters who gathered in Washington, DC Last month they called for a ceasefire as “rioters”. They spewed “hateful and vile language that reinforced anti-Semitic themes,” the resolution said.

Husam Marajda, an organizer with the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), said the resolution was an attempt to “shut down” Palestinian rights advocates by accusing them of bigotry and labeling their criticism of Israeli policies as hate speech.

“It’s super dangerous. It sets a really, really bad precedent. The aim is to criminalize our liberation struggle and our call for justice, peace and equality,” Marajda told Al Jazeera.

What is Zionism?

Zionism is a nationalist ideology that contributed to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. It asserts that the Jewish people have a right to self-determination in historic Palestine, which Zionists consider their ancestral homeland.

The rise of Zionism in the late 19th century was partly a reaction to anti-Semitism in Europe.

But many Palestinians reject Zionism as a driver of settler colonialism that dispossessed them during the founding of Israel. As is well known, the founding of Israel coincided with the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were forcibly evicted from their homes like the Nakbathe Arabic word for “catastrophe”.

While Palestinians consider themselves the indigenous people of the land, Zionists say the Jewish people have historical and biblical claims to modern-day Israel.

Some hardline Zionists, including members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, argue that the present-day Palestinian territories – the West Bank and Gaza – also belong to Israel.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in November, Netanyahu said held up a card by Israel, which showed that the country stretches from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean and includes the West Bank, Gaza and the Syrian Golan Heights.

Some Palestinians also blame Zionism for Israeli abuses against them would amount to apartheidsuch leading human rights groups as Amnesty International.

In the United States, Palestinian rights advocates have long rejected any conflation of Zionism and Judaism, pointing out that many Jewish Americans identify as anti-Zionists.

“Opposing the Israeli government’s policies and Netanyahu’s extremism is not anti-Semitic. Standing up for human rights and a ceasefire to save lives should never be condemned,” Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said in a social media post on Tuesday, justifying her vote against the resolution.

‘Extremely dangerous’

Marajda stressed that Palestinians have the right to oppose Zionism, a position he said has nothing to do with prejudice.

“This resolution says if you are critical this Israeli government“Basically you hate Jews,” he said. “I – not the Palestinians – chose their occupiers.”

The resolution is one of several pro-Israel proposals passed by Congress since October 7. Most U.S. lawmakers have expressed unwavering support for Israel amid its offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 16,000 Palestinians.

Yasmine Taeb, director of legislative and policy at MPower Change, a Muslim American advocacy group, called the resolution “extremely dangerous.”

“Any criticism of the Israeli government is clearly equated with anti-Semitism. Essentially, it slanders millions and millions of people demonstrating for one party around the world permanent ceasefireincluding Jewish-American organizations,” Taeb told Al Jazeera.

The advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) also quickly condemned the congressional measure.

“The false claim that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism links all Jews to the Israeli state and endangers our communities.” It fuels deadly violence and censorship campaigns against Palestinians,” JVP Action said in a social media post.

“We are proud anti-Zionist Jews. We refuse to pit communities against each other.”

We must firmly and clearly condemn anti-Semitism. The extreme Republican resolution up for debate today had no Democratic co-sponsors and incongruously said that all anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. It is completely wrong and useless to make it unclear what anti-Semitism is.

—Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 5, 2023

All Republicans in the House of Representatives except one – Congressman Thomas Massie – voted for the resolution. But were Democrats Disagreement on the measure: 13 voted against and 95 for, in addition to the 92 who abstained with a “present” vote.

Jerrold Nadler, a key Democrat in the Jewish House of Representatives, opposed the resolution on Monday, noting that some Jewish communities reject Zionism on religious grounds and should not be branded anti-Semitic.

“While most anti-Zionism is indeed anti-Semitic, if the authors were at all familiar with Jewish history and culture, they should know about Jewish anti-Zionism that was and is emphatically not anti-Semitic,” he said.

The Democrats are divided

Nadler accused Republicans of using Israel’s support to advance “partisanship at the expense of the Jewish community.” However, he did not vote against the resolution on Tuesday. He chose “present.”

The vote highlighted divisions among Democrats over Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip. While the party is on progressive wing President Joe Biden and the majority of Democrats in Congress have pushed for a ceasefire and have sidestepped such demands.

But that could be a signal of a separation from the party base. A Reuters/Ipsos poll In November, 62 percent of Democratic voters said Israel’s response was “excessive.” Two out of three survey participants supported a ceasefire.

I stand against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. However, a definition where anti-Zionism = anti-Semitism sets a dangerous precedent. I voted NO on this HRes894 because we cannot conflate criticism of the Israeli government and its extreme, xenophobic nationalist policies with anti-Semitism.

— Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (@repdeliaramirez) December 5, 2023

Meanwhile, Republicans have introduced motions that critics say are aimed at highlighting Democratic divisions. Last month, for example, they moved to censure Congresswoman Tlaibthe only Palestinian in the house, about her comments on the Gaza war.

Conservatives have accused Democrats who vote against such measures of being anti-Israel, if not anti-Semitic.

That creates a political dilemma for Democratic lawmakers. If they support the bills, they risk alienating large swaths of their base, but if they oppose them, they face attacks from Republicans.

Taeb said the lawmakers who voted “present” did not want to publicly announce that they equate anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism, but at the same time they wanted to be perceived as opponents of anti-Semitism.

“It’s just politics,” she told Al Jazeera.

H.Res 894 exploits the pain of Jewish communities for political arguments.

While it rightly denounces anti-Semitism, it equates all anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism – and denies the enormous complexity of Jewish communities – all of which deserve security.

And that’s why I voted present.

— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@RepDean) December 5, 2023

Tuesday’s resolution was co-sponsored by the congressman Max Millerwho has faced outrage in recent weeks for saying, “We will repent.” [Palestine] to a parking lot.”

Taeb said the fact that lawmakers who have promoted anti-Palestinian hatred are supporting such resolutions shows that Tuesday’s measure is not about fighting prejudice.

“The intent of these members is to defame and silence peace activists who are calling for an end to the massacre of Palestinian children and families.”