Well of course they do....

At posh, private club, Schlossberg shifts view on Israel

Congressional candidate and Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg struck a more sympathetic tone toward Israel while speaking with members of an elite private social club.

By Jason Beeferman

Jack Schlossberg is positioning himself as the candidate most critical of Israel in NY-12, the seat held by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.

The Kennedy scion has declared on Instagram that he supports “no weapons to Israel.” His team says he’s the “only candidate” seeking to block “bombs and bulldozers” to the country. And Schlossberg has harshly criticized two of his opponents for purportedly believing in “NO CONDITIONS” when it comes to military support for Israel.

But behind closed doors — and speaking with members of one of New York City’s most exclusive private clubs — his tone on the fraught issue shifts.

“I probably would have continued funding Israel’s offensive weaponry within the years following October 7th,” Schlossberg told members of the swanky Harmonie Club at a private May 11 “meet and greet,” according to a recording of the event obtained by POLITICO.

The club, located on the Upper East Side, steps away from Central Park, was founded by Jewish German immigrants and is the second-oldest private social club in the city, according to The New York Times.

“I have been a stronger supporter of Israel than I ever thought I would be standing here today with you, because of educating myself on the issue,” Schlossberg also said at the event. “That is ultimately I think a sign of leadership and what a congressperson should do.”

Schlossberg’s remarks on Israel come as he squares off in the June 23 Democratic primary against state Assemblymembers Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, anti-Trump commentator George Conway and public health expert Nina Schwalbe in a district that has one of the largest Jewish populations in the country.

Schlossberg has sought to distinguish himself as the only major candidate willing to condition — or even halt — military aid to Israel in recent social media posts that were fired off as part of a shift in his social media strategy. Ever since the Times published a bruising piece painting Schlossberg as an “erratic” and sometimes-absent candidate, he has taken on a more furious — and idiosyncratic — tone online.

“Alex Bores and Micah Lasher are wholly-owned subsidiaries of billionaires,” Schlossberg wrote in one post on X.

“I’m the only Democrat in the NY12 primary,” he said in another, referencing their policies on aid to Israel.

In a statement from an unnamed spokesperson, Schlossberg’s team appeared to acknowledge his shift over the last two weeks from voicing support for “funding Israel’s offensive weaponry” to billing himself as the “no weapons to Israel” candidate — and is challenging his opponents to change their stances as well.

“Jack’s views have evolved as the situation has,” the spokespersons said. “The question is why haven’t his opponents updated their positions?”

The spokesperson said Schlossberg supports withholding offensive weapons for Israel, backs funding for the anti-missile defense system known as the Iron Dome and supports a recent resolution from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders which seeks to stop the U.S. from selling $658.8 million worth of military weapons to Israel.

A January candidate questionnaire for the Working Families Party obtained by POLITICO also highlights how Schlossberg’s stance on Israel has shifted. At the time, Schlossberg said he was “unsure” about whether he would back legislation known as the “Block the Bombs Act,” which would prohibit the sale or transfer of military equipment to Israel until the country guarantees compliance with international law.

“This bill does not provide any discretion between current and unforeseen future scenarios,” Schlossberg wrote in the questionnaire. “Additionally, much of the violence and oppression taking place in Palestine has been accomplished without these weapons. The legislation would not provide an avenue to peace and stability.”