Top progressive Dem Rep. Pramila Jayapal declares ‘Israel is a racist state’
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, denounced Israel as a “racist state” in a speech over the weekend, kicking up a firestorm.
The Washington state Democrat harshly condemned the US ally as her appearance at the annual Netroots Nation progressive activist conference in Chicago was interrupted by “Free Palestine” demonstrators.
“As somebody who’🉐s been in the streets and 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,” she said.
“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,” she continued, drawing applause from the crowd.
Jayapal underscored to the disgruntled protesters th🥂at she and the others on that stage were fighting for Palestinian rights.
“I want you to know that while you may have arguments with whether or not some of us on stage are fighting hard enough, I do want you to know there is an organized opposition on the other side and it isn’t the people who are on this stage,” she said.
Democrats have splintered over Israel, with some standing firmly behind the Jewish state, while others have railed against its treatment of Pale💜stinians.
Some of Jayapal’s progressive colleagues in the House of Representatives, including “Squad” members such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) have made Palestinian concerns a forefront issue.
Omar, for instance, said “there is no way in hell” she will attend Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s joint meeting with Congress this week.
A cཧacophony of politicos and proponents of Israel quickly admonished Jayapal over her remarks.
“@PramilaJayapal, you are despicable. This is truly disgusting, especially coming from a member of Congress,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said.
“Someone should tell @RepJayapal that antisemitism ain’t progressive,” journalist Emily Schrader tweeted.
“Vile comments such as these from @RepJayapal @PramilaJayapal are are in line with similar comments from @AOC, @IlhanMN, @RashidaTlaib, @CoriBush, @JamaalBowmanNY and many others,” Bryan Leib, executive director of Combating Antisemitism Everywhere PAC, wrote on Twitter.
“If my friends on the other side want me to stop saying their party gives shelter to these bigots then it’s time to actually start pushing back and calling them out. Right now!”
“Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, condemns Israel as a racist state, warning activists that there is an organized opposition against progressive critics of Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians,” University of Maryland professor Shibley Telhami said.
Jayapal has long criticized Israel’s annexation and settlement policies in the West Bank and urged Congress to push the Jewish to dial down those initiatives.
A representative to Jayapal didn’t return a request for comment Sunday.
