Senator Cruz, locked in a dogfight to keep his seat, took time from the Texas campaign trail to conduct a clinic on how to stand up to antisemitism. The setting was a Senate Judiciary committee meeting on “Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America.” Mr. Cruz was lambasting Democrats, who control the committee, for their refusal to hold a session dedicated to antisemitism instead of what he called one “generically on hate.” That critique would have been enough.

During the solon’s peroration, though, a man rose from the audience and yelled “fucking Jews and the Israelis, talk about the 40,000. Talk about all these people. Why is it about antisemitism?” As he was escorted out, Mr. Cruz noted “So we now have a demonstration of antisemitism. We have a demonstration of the hate.” He then castigated President Biden’s refusal to cut off federal funds for universities drowning in anti-Jewish sentiment.

What struck us about Mr. Cruz’s response was just how unequivocal it was, especially when compared with the desire of Democrats — Senator Durbin chairs this committee — to insist that antisemitism is just one hatred among many. Its eruption after October 7 suggests otherwise. The refusal to single out antisemitism, moreover, appears to go hand in hand with an eagerness to confront Israel in respect of its war. 

The latest indication of the chasm between the parties on this point came on Tuesday, when Vice President Harris, in her first solo interview, told the National Association of Black Journalists that “one of the things that we’ve done that I’m entirely supportive of is the pause that we put on the 2,000-pound bombs.” She added that “there is some leverage that we have had and used.” The “we,” is apparently a reference toPresident Biden and herself. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu in June called that withholding of matériel “inconceivable.” He reminded Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris that “During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job.’” The president had previously promised that “If they go into Rafah, I’m not going to be supplying the weapons.” Never mind that the Israel Defense Forces routed Hamas there and discovered underground the bodies of hostages.

It does not seem to us to be a coincidence that Mr. Cruz, now standing up to antisemites, was in the van of efforts in July to press the White House to provide to Israel the arms it required to vanquish Hamas. Democratic lawmakers could be taking cues from their ticket — not only Ms. Harris, but also Governor Walz, who earlier this month told a Michigan radio station that campus protesters were “speaking out for all the right reasons.”

We understand that Ms. Harris and her party have occasionally marbled their criticisms of Israel with denunciations of antisemitism. The question, though, is whether they will stand by Jews and the Jewish state when it is less than convenient, or when the going gets even harder — say, during a battle with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Mr. Biden’s apparatchiks are already warning Jerusalem. Mr. Cruz has aced his test. Democrats are far from passing theirs.