WASHINGTON ― In February, HouseRepublican leaders dramatically slowed a bipartisan effort to end a four-year U.S. intervention in Yemen by adding surprise language condemning anti-Semitism to the antiwar legislation.  That kind of maneuver is cynical and counterproductive, two top Jewish groups have warned in recent days ― offering a lifeline to Democrats as they prepare to bring the bill up for another vote and hope this time they can get it to President Donald Trump’s desk. 

Trump has no intention of stopping U.S. intelligence and logistical support for the campaign that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have waged in Yemen, which has killed thousands of civilians and left millions of people on the brink of famine.  The Republican gambit helped him by delaying a reckoning that would force him to issue only the second veto of his presidency, and they succeeded by decoupling the House legislation from its equivalent in the Senate. 

But now that the Senate has passed the resolution to end support for the Yemen policy and the text it endorsed has been sent to the lower chamber, all its supporters need is a win in the House.  So this is the GOP’s final chance, and the same procedure of tacking on anti-Semitism language that the party used two months ago ― peeling off Democratic votes at the last minute by offering what’s known as a motion to recommit ― will likely be Republicans’ play of choice, lawmakers and aides say. 

There’s little evidence for the increasingly popular GOP claim that the Democratic Party is institutionally turning on Jews or against U.S. ally Israel.  That’s not the point, though: Republicans are seeking not to test whether Democrats will agree to criticize anti-Semitism but to force them into a choice between doing that or pushing an end to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. 

Now the remarks from the Jewish groups could provide cover for Democrats who vote no or abstain on the expected amendment, an aide to party leadership predicted. 

On Friday, the Anti-Defamation League released a letter that it had sent to leaders in both chambers. “ I urge you to work together to stop the growing partisan weaponization of anti-Semitism, and instead work together to combat this scourge,” the civil rights organization’s chief executive, Jonathan Greenblatt, wrote.  In keeping with the group’s nonpartisan posture, he did not highlight the GOP.  But an ADL spokesperson told HuffPost in a Monday email that the letter ”could apply to situations like this one, in which legislative language about anti-Semitism is being used to obstruct completely unrelated legislation, in this case involving war powers.” ( The Yemen resolution invokes the War Powers Act to say decisions about U.S. military policy should rest with Congress.) 

“The issue of combating anti-Semitism should be addressed on its own terms, not used as a prop to score political points or to block important unrelated Congressional business,” the spokesperson added.