A Democratic representative’s hot take against Israel sent her party into damage control, forcing a retraction and earning her a rebuke for “fighting to make it clear that” the ally nation “is a racist state.”
Unfolding over the weekend, the inciting statement occurred Saturday when Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal jumped in as hecklers were shouting down her Illinois colleague, Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
“Can I say something as someone who’s been in the streets,” Jayapal began at the Netroots Nations conference, “and has participated in a lot of demonstrations.”
“I want you to know that we have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state,” the congresswoman stated plainly, “that the Palestinian people deserve self-determination and autonomy, that the dream of a two-state solution is slipping away from us…that it does not even feel possible.”
Within a day’s time, the Washington lawmaker was taking heat from her own party as separate coalitions presented statements attempting to cleanse the taint of antisemitism from within their ranks.
One letter composed by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.), Greg Landsman (Ohio), Kathy Manning (N.C.), Jared Moskowitz (Fla.), Dean Phillips (Minn.), Brad Schneider (Ill.) and Debbie Wasserman Shultz (Fla.) read in part, “We are deeply concerned about Representative Pramila Jayapal’s unacceptable comments about our historic, democratic ally Israel, and we appreciate her retraction.”
A group of House Democrats is circulating a draft letter condemning Rep Jayapal for “unacceptable” comments that “Israel is a racist state.”
It’s written by Gottheimer, Wasserman Schultz, Landsman, Schneider, Phillips, Moskowitz and Manning, per a Democratic aide with knowledge. pic.twitter.com/5F6ohJnAtY
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 16, 2023
They also attempted to take shots at Republicans and said, “Regardless of extremist views from groups aligned with either party, efforts to rewrite history and question the Jewish State’s right to exist, or our historic bipartisan relationship, will never succeed in Congress.”
“We will never allow anti-Zionist voices that embolden antisemitism to hijack the Democratic Party and country,” the letter asserted.
Likewise, Democratic Party leaders including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.), Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.), and Vice Chair Ted Lieu (Calif.) united to declare, “As House Democratic leaders, we strongly support Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. We are also firmly committed to a robust two-state solution where Israel and the Palestinian people can live side by side in peace and prosperity.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/NCMiJ4dldd
— House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) July 16, 2023
Jayapal even released her own statement contradicting her position and contending that she was attempting “to defuse a tense situation.”
“Words do matter and so it is important that I clarify my statement,” she began.
“I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist,” the lawmaker claimed before finding a new tact to slam the nation. “I do, however, believe that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s extreme right-wing government has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies and that there are extreme racists driving that policy within the leadership of the current government.”
Of course, the non-apology from Jayapal was not the first time under the current party leadership that Democrats had positioned themselves against Israel. In May, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had to step in to prevent “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) from hosting an event at the U.S. Capitol to mark the “catastrophe” of Israel’s founding.
In its place, McCarthy honored “the 75th anniversary of the US-Israel relationship” with a bipartisan discussion. The supposed retraction from Jayapal was not well received, particularly as several Democrats, Tlaib and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in particular, have stated their intent to boycott Wednesday’s address by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to a joint session of Congress.
Nah. You’re an anti-Semite and this statement confirms it.
— Patrick (@PMC713) July 16, 2023
The only “color” issue I have with you is the darkness of your soul.
— Samawal Foundations (@Samawal_LLC) July 16, 2023
“I want you to know that we have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state” – I don’t care what you say, but you said it and were very clear.
— Kasey Freeman (@digitalspaz) July 16, 2023
I was going to say disingernious but liar is much much better. In fact, in my opinion, the word liar is not used enough against these people. Maybe we should throw out liar as much as they call us racist.
— Pete Klaput (@pklaput) July 17, 2023
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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