JTA — Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer, Maryland’s longest-serving member of Congress and a lawmaker with longstanding close ties to the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, has announced his retirement.

“I did not want to be one of those members who clearly stayed, outstayed his or her ability to do the job,” Hoyer, 86, told the Washington Post ahead of his announcement on Thursday.

Hoyer, who has served in Congress since 1981 and stepped down as House majority leader in 2022, frequently made pro-Israel advocacy a hallmark of his tenure, including backing unconditional US aid to Israel and supporting the recognition of Jerusalem as the country’s capital.

Hoyer’s departure deprives Congress of a pro-Israel stalwart at a time when support for Israel is on the decline in both major parties. Already, a Jewish Democrat who is harshly critical of Israel had been challenging him.

“Our country, the Democratic Party, and the pro-Israel movement are all in a better place today because of his service,” Brian Romick, the president and CEO of the Democratic Majority for Israel, said in a statement. “I will be forever grateful for his guidance, his friendship, and his faith in me. I am certain that future Democratic leaders will look to his career as a model and be inspired to embrace his legacy.”

Hoyer addressed changes in support for Israel in November 2024, when he celebrated after a proposal to restrict the sale of US-made weapons to Israel was voted down.

“It is vital........

© The Times of Israel