Belsito Will Bring Israel Clarity to Congress

To the Editor,

As voters in Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District evaluate our choices for the September 1 Democratic primary, a split over U.S. foreign policy and campaign finance accountability draws a clear line.  Jamie Belsito’s recent call for opponents Dan Koh and Tram Nguyen to recognize the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and reject AIPAC-aligned funding brings a critical debate directly to our doorstep. Belsito has maintained a consistent stance dating back to her tenure as a State Representative in 2022 and opposes all U.S. military support and weapons sales to Israel. 

Her position on genocide is consistent with findings from international bodies like the United Nations and leading Holocaust and Genocide scholars, as well as the International Association of Genocide Scholars.

In contrast, her primary opponents present starkly different records. 

Nguyen publicly stated as recently as late February that she did not believe genocide was taking place in Gaza.  Moreover, in the endorsement questionnaire she submitted to Massachusetts Peace Action, an organization to which I belong, she refused to use the term genocide in connection with Israel.  Dan Koh did not even bother to submit the MAPA questionnaire, and his website does not even include foreign affairs as an important issue. 

On the issue of AIPAC-aligned funding, Dan Koh has accepted substantial funding from AIPAC donors throughout this election cycle.  Shortly before entering the race, State Representative Tram Nguyen transferred $190,000 to a Super PAC closely aligned with AIPAC. 

The people of this district deserve a representative who leads with moral clarity instead of waiting for institutional political cover or donor approval.  Belsito’s platform highlights the urgent need for leaders willing to speak out on human rights and push for foreign policy rooted in justice.  Voters in MA-6 must decide whether they want a candidate who equivocates on or ignores the critical foreign policy issues of the day or a candidate willing to challenge the status quo on the global stage.