Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-W., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, apologized Sunday for characterizing Israel as a “racist state.”
Jayapal issued his criticism of Israel while trying to calm a group holding Palestinian flags at a conference for the progressive Netroots Nation over the weekend.
Hi guys, can I say something? Can I say something as someone who has been on the streets and has participated in many demonstrations? Jayapal said. “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, that it doesn’t even feel possible. .”
“While you may have arguments about whether or not some of us on the stage fought hard enough, I want you to know that there is organized opposition on the other side, and it’s not the people who are on this stage.” she added.
Jayapal’s comments were quickly met with backlash on both sides of the aisle after a video of his comments was posted. widely spread on social media.
jayapal later retracted his comments in a statement on Sunday, saying he was trying to “defuse a tense situation” at the conference and offered “my apologies to those whom I have hurt with my words.”
“Words do matter, so it is important that I clarify my statement,” Jayapal said. “I don’t think the idea of Israel as a nation is racist.”
“However, I think [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s far-right government has engaged in openly racist and discriminatory policies and there are extreme racists pushing that policy within the current government leadership,” he added.
in a letter distributed later on Sundaya group of House Democrats condemned Jayapal’s comments, according to a Democratic aide with knowledge of the matter.
The authors of the letter are Democrats Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Brad Schneider of Illinois, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, and Kathy Manning of North Carolina.
“We are deeply concerned by Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s unacceptable comments about our historic and democratic ally Israel, and appreciate her retraction,” they wrote.
“Regardless of the extremist views of party-aligned groups, efforts to rewrite history and challenge 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 anti-Semitism to hijack the Democratic Party and the country.”
House Democratic Leaders they also sought to distance themselves from Jayapal’s comments in a statement on Sunday, saying that Israel is “not a racist state.”
“As House Democratic leaders, we strongly support Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people,” wrote House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Democratic Leader Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar and Vice President Ted. Lieu, both from California.
Jayapal’s comments came days before Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to visit the White House and address Congress during his two-day trip to the nation’s capital this week.
rebecca kaplan contributed.
