Dem: I don’t need lessons from Steve King on what it is to be Jewish or a Democrat

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) blasted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on Sunday, saying he didn’t need lessons from the hardline conservative lawmaker.

“I really do not need a lessons from people like Steve King on what it is to be Jewish or a Democrat,” Israel said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Israel noted that he “hasn’t seen” King at hearings on funding for the Iron Dome defense system for America’s closest Middle East ally and that the Republican hadn’t accompanied the Democrat on his trips to the nation.

“So I’m not going to take lectures from Republicans like Steve King about how to support Israel,” the Democrat said on CNN, noting that he was “still waiting” for an apology.

King said during an interview Friday on Boston Herald Radio, “Here is what I don’t understand, I don’t understand how Jews in America can be Democrats first and Jewish second and support Israel along the line of just following their president.”

The pair then jabbed each other on Twitter:

@RepSteveIsrael: Real men make such requests face 2 face & man 2 man. I defend Israelis from Leftists & misogynists. pic.twitter.com/GvX5XDftHx

— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 21, 2015

“Steve King, who said America is a Christian nation, should not be lecturing Jews about how we should be Jewish,” Israel said on CNN.

Israel noted, “I lean to the right on U.S.-Israeli relations. I’m a staunch hawk on those issues. I escorted Bibi Netanyahu into the chamber and out of the chamber.”

The Democrat stressed that “everybody needs to take a deep breath and step back” over the U.S.-Israeli relationship, emphasizing Israel’s strongest strategic asset was its bipartisanship with the U.S.