It is dismaying that the worst killing of Jews since the Holocaust fractured the political left into three coalitions. Yet here we are.

The first coalition, composed of leading progressives, quickly provided “context” to explain why Hamas was driven to slaughter entire families during their Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel. These progressives, such as Representative Summer Lee of Pittsburgh, now talk of a “cease-fire” and a need to “deescalate.”

What ridiculous nonsense. The only context necessary to understand the situation is that a terrorist organization hellbent on destroying Israel worked towards that goal in recent weeks by murdering babies, mowing down concertgoers, and holding grandmothers hostage.

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Thankfully, a second coalition of the left refused to descend into the moral equivalency cesspool. A leading example of this coalition is Pennsylvania’s progressive darling, Senator John Fetterman, who took to X (previously Twitter) to provide the moral clarity others on his side of the aisle lack. In a recent post, Fetterman states, “Hamas does not want peace; they want to destroy Israel. We can talk about a ceasefire after Hamas is neutralized.”

Spot on, Senator.

The path to de-escalation is the same one that leads Hamas terrorists to their creator. Peace is not possible until that happens. Americans who see this clearly, regardless of other political disagreements, must stand together in order to stand with our ally Israel.

As unnatural as it is for conservatives like me, that means supporting Senator Fetterman. I’ve criticized Fetterman several times in these pages. I imagine I’ll do so again. But standing up to your own side is one of the most challenging things a politician can do. Fetterman has shown courage. Standing with Israel in this dire moment requires us to stand with Fetterman.

Unfortunately, a third group on the American left has quietly formed in the aftermath of Hamas’ terrorist attack. These individuals are sniffing the political winds, wondering when the narrative will inevitably shift against Israel’s favor as she grinds Hamas into the ground.

It is dismaying that the worst killing of Jews since the Holocaust fractured the political left into three coalitions. Yet here we are.

Senator Bob Casey sadly aligns with this coalition. To his credit, his office was quick to condemn the original attack and he also voiced support for Fetterman’s statement, but in other cases he lagged behind, testing the winds. Senator Casey eventually criticized the far-left equivocation on Hamas, but only after Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick called him out on his silence.

While these are encouraging signs, they demonstrate that Senator Casey is a follower. A leader sees this moment for what it is — political consequences be damned. Senator Casey’s actions in the coming weeks will be indicative of where this third go-along-to-get-along group on the left ends up. Let’s hope it’s on the side of Israel.

Days before this world-changing terrorist attack against Israel, the American right tore itself apart by defenestrating House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over petty personal grievances. Since then, the House of Representatives has remained paralyzed while our ally is plunged into war.

Days after the attack, some on the American left shredded its credibility and, by extension, its political cohesion by using legitimate concerns over Gazan civilians to undermine Israel’s fight for survival. Given this dark moment, unlikely political allies need to come together. That requires conservatives to support progressives like Senator Fetterman, who clearly sees the stakes at hand. The ability of America to lead the free world depends on it.

Seth Higgins, a native of Saint Marys, Pennsylvania, specializes in bringing conservative thought to local government. Seth is a former Tablet Magazine Fellow and is currently a Krauthammer Fellow with The Tikvah Fund.