Adam's record on Israel & Palestine

On October 8, 2002, Smith issued a statement and delivered floor remarks supporting the resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq, citing Saddam Hussein's pursuit of nuclear weapons.²

In the statement, he said Hussein's nuclear weapons efforts had previously been "thwarted first by Israel and then by America and the U.N. after the Gulf War."¹

In an October 28 speech, Smith described communications, foreign assistance and trade as elements of a foreign policy framework, adding that the military plays a role when those tools do not work.¹

On November 19, 2019, Smith said the Trump administration's decision that Israeli settlements are not inconsistent with international law was "misguided" and would pave the way for further Israeli settlement expansion.¹

He said the move undermines the viability of a Palestinian state, makes a two-state solution more difficult, and is part of a series of Trump administration actions he said have damaged U.S. credibility in pushing for a peace agreement.¹

On December 6, 2019, Smith voted yes on H.Res. 326, which the House passed 226-188, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding U.S. efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.¹

On May 12, 2021, Smith called the rocket barrage directed at Israeli civilians "abhorrent" and said "I unequivocally condemn this deadly assault from Hamas," while also saying planned evictions in East Jerusalem "inflame tensions and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution."¹

On May 17, 2021, Smith renewed his call for "an immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel," saying the U.S. must work with Israel, Palestinians, the UN, and other countries in the region to reach a halt to hostilities and reopen peaceful negotiations.¹

On May 21, 2021, Smith said he was "relieved to see a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas" and called for U.S. support to "relieve the resulting humanitarian crisis" and for work toward "a two-state solution and a lasting, durable peace for all Palestinians and Israelis."¹

Smith said the October 7 Hamas attack had no justification and affirmed his support for Israel's right to defend itself (r1), joined more than 100 House members in a letter to President Biden supporting Israel while urging that the humanitarian needs of Gaza's civilian population be met (r2), and voted for a resolution standing with Israel in its response to the attack (r3).³

He said Hamas should be degraded and ultimately eliminated while also saying humanitarian supplies should be allowed into Gaza to reduce civilian suffering (r4), said a House Republican leadership aid proposal excluded humanitarian funding and added a rider to cut unrelated funding (r5), and voted for legislation to prevent financing of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups (r6).³

He voted against a resolution to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib and voted to table that resolution (r9, r10), welcomed a November 27 agreement to release 50 hostages held in Gaza (r11), and voted for resolutions calling on Hamas to release hostages and reaffirming Israel's right to exist (r12, r13).⁵

He said his home in Bellevue was vandalized by people advocating for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza (r14), voted for a resolution condemning antisemitism while stating disagreement with a provision equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism (r15), and said he welcomed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for increased aid access to civilians in Gaza (r16).³

On November 27, 2023, Smith welcomed an agreement to release 50 hostages, including Americans, held in Gaza and to allow an extended humanitarian pause, crediting the efforts of the Biden Administration, Qatar, and Egypt.¹

On December 1, 2023, Smith said his home in Bellevue, Washington was vandalized by people advocating for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, and said he remained open to meeting with Pro-Palestinian and left-wing activists to discuss differences.¹

On December 5, 2023, Smith voted to advance a resolution condemning antisemitism, while saying he disagreed with a line in the resolution stating that anti-Zionism is antisemitism.¹

On December 22, 2023, Smith welcomed the U.N. Security Council's adoption of a resolution calling for a surge in aid to civilians in Gaza and urged Israel to take a more targeted approach against Hamas militants to reduce civilian casualties.¹

On January 22, Smith said Israel has a right and duty to ensure Hamas cannot repeat its attacks, called for continued reduction of civilian casualties and progress toward Palestinian statehood, and said he disagreed with Prime Minister Netanyahu's rejection of a Palestinian state.¹

On February 2, he said allegations against UNRWA staff should be investigated but that the agency's paused funding should be resumed given its role providing food, water, and other services to Palestinians in Gaza.¹

On February 6, he voted no on H.R. 7217, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which failed 250-180, and said in a statement that Congress should vote on funding for both Israel and Ukraine.²

On February 14 he voted yes on H.Res. 966, condemning rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas, which passed 418-0, and on February 21 he said he supported the Biden administration's efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement that would pause fighting and release hostages.²

Between April 16 and April 20, 2024, Smith voted yes on a House resolution regarding a slogan about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (r1), a resolution condemning Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel (r2), a rule providing for consideration of the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act and related bills (r3), and final passage of that supplemental (r5), all of which passed by wide margins.⁴

After the supplemental passed, he said in a statement that it addressed humanitarian and security concerns in Israel and urged the Senate to act quickly so President Biden could sign it (r4).¹

On May 11, after the Biden administration paused a shipment of 2,000- and 500-pound bombs to Israel over the Rafah operation, he said Israel had a right to defend itself and noted the administration continued to transfer precision-guided weapons and other military support (r6); on May 16 he voted yes on a motion to recommit the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which failed 202-210 (r7), and no on the bill's final passage, which passed 224-187 (r8).³

On May 30, following a fire in Rafah, he said, "It is absolutely imperative that Israel, Hamas, and our partners in the region reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible to halt the fighting, get more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and bring the hostages home," and said Netanyahu's unwillingness to support a Palestinian state should be condemned (r9).¹

Smith voted for the national security supplemental package on April 20, 2024, which he said addressed humanitarian and security concerns in Israel and the Indo-Pacific in addition to funding for Ukraine.¹

On May 11, 2024, Smith said Israel had the right to defend itself against Hamas and to respond to the October 7th attacks, and said the administration's pause on shipments of 2,000- and 500-pound 'dumb bombs' to Israel 'makes sense' given the Rafah operation in a densely populated area, while precision-guided weapons and other military support continued.¹

On May 30, 2024, following a fire in Rafah, Smith renewed his call for a ceasefire agreement to halt the fighting, increase humanitarian aid into Gaza, and bring home the hostages.¹

In September 2024, Smith called for a full investigation into the fatal shooting of Seattle constituent Aysenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank, and, with 102 cosigning colleagues, sent a letter urging the U.S. to independently investigate whether the shooting was a homicide.²

He condemned Iran's October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel and, marking the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack, condemned the Hamas attack and said Israel has a right and duty to prevent Hamas from repeating it.²

He wrote to President Biden urging further sanctions on individuals and entities he said were destabilizing the West Bank, and said he was opposed to Israel's approach to the West Bank amid continued settlement expansion.¹

He called for de-escalation across regional conflicts and identified Iran as the main driver of the conflict, and after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar said it created a new opportunity to end Hamas' grip on Gaza and reach a ceasefire.²

On November 15, Smith condemned the vandalism of University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce's home and car, said the tactic was not moving the pro-Palestinian cause forward in the United States, and noted a similar act of vandalism had occurred at his own residence the previous December.¹

On November 27, Smith welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States and France, which took effect that day, and said the next step must be a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.¹

On December 10, Smith joined Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Murray in calling on Israel to release its investigation into the September 6 fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi during a demonstration against Israeli settlements in Beita, and urged the Justice Department to open its own investigation.¹

On December 20, in a further joint statement on Eygi's death, Smith and the same colleagues said the West Bank situation had resulted in civilian deaths, including Eygi's, and said they applauded sanctions the Biden administration had imposed on extremist Israeli settlers.¹

Smith joined colleagues in introducing the West Bank Violence Prevention Act, and in early May said Israel was blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, enabling settlement expansion in the West Bank, and taking military actions in Syria and Lebanon, calling on Israel to change course and immediately let humanitarian aid into Gaza.⁴

He condemned the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum and condemned hateful, dehumanizing rhetoric against Jewish and Israeli people, and separately condemned rising violence around Gaza aid distribution sites, saying Israel bore the responsibility to ensure aid reached those who needed it most.⁴

He said he supported Israel's efforts to defend itself against the threat from Iran, and after President Trump ordered U.S. military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, said the President did not seek authorization from Congress for the strikes.²

Two days later, he joined Reps. Meeks and Himes in introducing a War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran absent Congressional authorization.¹

On July 17 and July 29, he called the rise in violence in the West Bank unacceptable, introduced the West Bank Violence Prevention Act with Reps. Nadler and Himes, and urged colleagues to cosponsor the bill, which he said would codify Biden-era sanctions on people who commit violence in the West Bank.³

On July 29, he said he was horrified by the killing of Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen and said the settler who shot Hathaleen had previously been sanctioned by the Biden administration, sanctions he said were removed when President Trump took office.¹

On July 25, he called on Israel to work with humanitarian aid organizations to rush food and other supplies into Gaza, said Hamas was blocking a negotiated ceasefire, and urged President Trump to work with Israel to implement a ceasefire and increase the flow of aid.¹

On July 31, he said Hamas bore full responsibility for the October 7 attacks but that continuing the war indefinitely would not bring peace, called for an immediate ceasefire in which Israel would accept a permanent ceasefire in exchange for the return of hostages, and called on Israel to work with the United States and Arab partners to support credible Palestinian alternatives to Hamas, including Palestinians he said reject Hamas's violence and extremism, to govern Gaza and the West Bank.⁵

Smith called the advancement of the E1 settlement project, which would add 3,400 housing units near East Jerusalem, deeply alarming and destabilizing, and called on the Israeli government to reverse course and halt the plan.¹

Smith called for Israel to implement a ceasefire in Gaza, increase humanitarian aid, and stop West Bank settlement expansion, and said that if Israel did not take these steps he believed the United States should stop the sale of some offensive weapons systems to Israel as leverage.²

Smith said he signed onto two letters urging the Trump Administration to surge infant formula into Gaza and reverse the pause on medical-humanitarian visas for children from Gaza.¹

Smith said the U.S. must leverage arms sales to push Israel to reach a Gaza ceasefire, surge humanitarian aid, and stop settlement expansion in the West Bank, a message he also discussed on the podcast Pod Save America.¹

On October 7, Smith said his thoughts were with the families grieving and with hostages not yet returned, and said the war needed a speedy end that returns the hostages and secures a better future for Israelis and Palestinians.¹

The same day, Smith marked the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, stating that more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, with at least 20 living hostages remaining in captivity.¹

On October 9, Smith issued a statement on the announcement of an initial U.S.-backed ceasefire framework between Israel and Hamas, saying the agreement calls for the return of the remaining Israeli hostages and will surge humanitarian aid into Gaza for Palestinians.¹

He said the phase must be swiftly implemented and said the United States must remain engaged with regional partners to move toward a comprehensive, permanent ceasefire.¹