{"id":133121,"date":"2026-08-28T17:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T15:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=133121"},"modified":"2026-08-25T07:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T05:08:18","slug":"22-00-123","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=133121","title":{"rendered":"DSA Chicago Chapter Sparks Outrage Over Anti-Israel Questionnaire for Political Endorsements"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>DSA Chicago Chapter Sparks Outrage Over Anti-Israel Questionnaire for Political Endorsements<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Corey Walker<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Chicago, United States, on Aug. 22, 2024. Photo: J.W. Hendricks\/NurPhoto via Reuters Connect<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chapter in Chicago is facing backlash over a newly surfaced questionnaire which asks local political candidates for their opinion of Zionism and Israel, sparking renewed discourse over the relevance of a foreign country to local governance. <\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the questionnaire circulated to local candidates, the DSA asks political hopefuls to elaborate on whether they align with what they describe as \u201cDSA values.\u201d The first two longform questions instruct candidates to explain: \u201cWould you consider yourself an anti-Zionist?\u201d and \u201cDo you support Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, and its potential application on the municipal level?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Anti-Zionism is an expressed belief in the destruction of Israel as the world\u2019s sole Jewish state. This ideology, which is often embedded in broader anti-colonial, anti-Western, and anti-capitalist sentiments, has been described by many experts as inherently antisemitic. <\/span><\/p>\n

The boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement seeks to isolate Israel from the international community as a step toward its eventual elimination, an effort viewed by critics as discriminatory and potentially unconstitutional. Leaders of the movement have repeatedly stated their goal is to destroy the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

In response, Anti-Defamation League Midwest (ADL), the midwestern branch of the ADL, an organization committed to combating antisemitism, released a statement condemning the questionnaire as part of a broader obsession with demonizing Israel and creating unnecessary litmus tests irrelevant to local governance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis fixation on Israel is not only far removed from the responsibilities and priorities of an alderman, but also risks fueling anti-Jewish sentiment, harassment, and, ultimately, violence against Chicago\u2019s Jewish community,\u201d said Rebecca Weininger, senior regional director for ADL Midwest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat real estate, those questions are used to ensure that that person meets the litmus test of being against the right of Jews to self-determination in the land of Israel. That doesn\u2019t help anybody\u2019s lives in the Chicago area get better and in fact contributes to rising antisemitism,\u201d Weininger added. <\/span><\/p>\n