Advocacy for the United States-Israel relationship began for U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, more than four decades ago when he was a student at Northwestern University in Evanston.
Before being elected, Schneider advocated for the relationship with members of Congress of both parties. When he took office in 2012, his efforts continued on a new platform — the House Foreign Affairs Committee — and persist during the current Israel-Hamas war
Learning about the explosion Tuesday which leveled a Gaza hospital killing hundreds, something President Joseph Biden told Israeli leaders Wednesday “was done by the other team, not you,” Schneider agreed with the president.
“I share President Biden’s grief and outrage at the tragedy at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza,” Schneider said in a text early Wednesday morning. “Civilians are always the ones who suffer the most from the unrelenting devastation of war.”
Israel claims the hospital blast was caused by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket while Hamas said it was done by Israeli bombing, according to The Associated Press. Biden said his information comes from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Working with three bipartisan colleagues, Schneider helped write a letter signed by 107 members to Egypt’s United States ambassador asking his country to work with the United States and Israel to facilitate safe zones to get humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilians.
“We cannot close our eyes to the suffering, or to the humanity, of the innocent people caught up in this war,” Schneider said in the text.
Schneider’s effort to help write the letter seeking humanitarian relief for Gaza’s civilians is the latest in a line of accomplishments advocating for the United States-Israel relationship during five terms in the House of Representatives in Washington and before.
When Israel needed funding for its Iron Dome missile defense system two years ago, Schneider helped push a $1 billion package through Congress. He called it one of his proudest accomplishments. It knocks rockets like those fired by Hamas out of the sky.
Former House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., worked with Schneider on the Iron Dome funding, as well as other legislation over the years. Hoyer said in an email Wednesday Schneider’s support for Israel is long-standing.
“We’ve collaborated on a number of important initiatives, including working to fully fund the Iron Dome — which has been a life-saving resource during these latest brutal attacks by Hamas,” Hoyer said in the email.
Among his earlier efforts in Congress were sponsoring legislation to assure Israel maintains its qualitative military edge over other Middle Eastern countries, and making Israel part of the visa waiver program. The visa waiver became a reality in September.
With connections to Israel both professionally and personally, Schneider said he awoke to the news of the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7 worried about the country and people he knows there. He knows those in harm’s way and others who are connected to individuals who were killed or are fighting in the war.
“Every day we see and learn more about the murderous, terrorist act perpetrated on the people of Israel,” Schneider said. “This was done by terrorists who want to destroy Israel and kill Jews. The nightmare continues for the hostages.”
Since he entered Congress in 2012 — he did not serve the two years between January 2015 and January, 2017 — Schneider said he has taken at least eight trips to Israel in an official capacity. He went with other freshmen colleagues in 2013, and has taken three more with freshmen in a leadership role.
“It helps my colleagues understand the importance of the United States and its most important ally in the Middle East,” Schneider said. “The United States has been a big help to Israel and Israel has been a help to the United States.”
During those four trips exposing new representatives to the issues in Israel and its leaders, Schneider said it was led by Hoyer, as were nine others before those. Hoyer said Schneider is a valued member of the delegation.
“As we’re traveling throughout the country, our trip planners have been known to make sure that Brad (Schneider) and I are on different buses to help ensure all our freshman have access to someone who understands and cares deeply about the history and future of Israel,” Hoyer said.
Not long after Schneider earned his engineering degree from Northwestern, he said he worked as an engineer at a factory on a kibbutz in northern Israel. He learned and experienced how Israelis live there from day to day.
The Associated Press contributed to the this report.
