FLORHAM PARK - A woman on Tuesday night told Analilia Mejia she already voted for her, but she still has concerns - about the candidate's feelings about Israel.

This is not new. Not only Mejia - now running in the April 16 special CD-11 election - but many on the Democratic left are suspected, or accused, of harboring anti-Semitic feelings.

In the contest at hand, Republican candidate Joe Hathaway has called Mejia a radical, anti-Semitic socialist. Not much ambiguity there.

The question about Israel came at a Mejia "meet and greet" at the borough library.

She began her answer by saying all people in the region - Palestinians, Israelis and Jews "have a right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland."

That aspiration, of course, is problematic considering that Palestinians claim the same homeland as Israelis. At the same time, a so-called two state solution has been talked about for years.

Of more substance, Mejia assessed the current state of affairs thusly:

"My opinion is that Netanyahu is a war criminal," adding, "I do not extend the blame I feel towards him toward the Israeli people or the Jewish people."

Referring to the long-standing friendship between the United States and Israel, she said it can be hard to "tell a friend" they are wrong.

But she said people have to speak out when lines are crossed. She mentioned the Israeli government cutting off water and electricity in Gaza and of dropping "2,000-pound bombs" during the recent war.

How about aid to Israel?

"I have never said, 'we're not giving any aid,'" she said.

But she did say that, "we need to make demands on aid," meaning that the recipient uphold human rights.

Clearly, this was the most interesting part of the evening. There were about 50 people in the room and one man, who said he was Jewish, said he liked her answer.

Showing how divisive this issue is, another spectator recommended that Mejia stop talking about Israel. That's hard to do when you are running for Congress.

She did acknowledge her background as a community organizer and a fighter for workers' rights.

"I will admit my expertise is much more domestic," she said. But she pledged to be a House member who will listen to all people.

When the charge of anti-Semitism has come up previously, Mejia says that as a minority woman herself she has no trouble understanding the unease of all marginalized groups.

With all accounts saying anti-Semitism has recently risen across the nation, Mejia said;

"I know that Jewish people face incredible fear. I hear it."