Rep. Jayapal from Washington State caught the ire of her fellow Democrats over comments she made about Israel at the Netroots conference.
Jayapal referred to the Jewish state, which is completely surrounded by enemies who want to destroy them, as a ‘racist state’ during her speech at the conference:
AXIOS – A group of Jewish House Democrats is circulating a letter denouncing Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s (D-Wash.) since-withdrawn comments calling Israel a “racist state,” Axios has learned.
It’s the latest example of Democrats’ bitter divide on Israel bubbling up in recent days as several progressives prepare to boycott the Israeli president’s speech to Congress on Wednesday.
After pro-Palestine demonstrators disrupted a panel discussion that included Jayapal at the progressive Netroots Nation conference on Saturday, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair responded by playing up her anti-Israel bona fides.
“I want you to know that we have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state, that the Palestinian people deserve self-determination and autonomy, that the dream of a two-state solution is slipping away from us,” she told the protesters.
Jayapal was forced to walk back her comments today, aiming her fire at Netanyahu and saying she doesn’t believe the nation of Israel is racist:
Jayapal walked back the comments on Sunday in a statement, saying: “Words do matter and so it is important that I clarify my statement. I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist.”
Instead, Jayapal said she believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “extreme right-wing government has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies.”
Seven Democrats have signed the letter and, according to Axios, it’s still be circulated for more signatures:
The draft letter, a copy of which was obtained by Axios, calls Jayapal’s comments “unacceptable,” adding, “[W]e appreciate her retraction.”
“Israel is the legitimate homeland of the Jewish people and efforts to delegitimize and demonize it are not only dangerous and antisemitic, but they also undermine America’s national security,” it continues.
“We will never allow anti-Zionist voices that embolden antisemitism to hijack the Democratic Party and country.”
The letter was authored by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Kathy Manning (D-N.C.), Axios is told.
All seven lawmakers are Jewish and are moderates or swing district members. The letter is still being circulated for signatures.
I wonder if they included condemnation for the anti-Semitism of Ilhan Omar, who claimed that Palestinians were under ‘occupation’ by the state of Israel. Nah.