Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal made waves last week after calling Israel a “racist state.” Those comments received blowback from both sides of the political aisle, which came in so strong that the normally unapologetic progressive tried to walk them back.
In comments made at the Netroots Nation political conference, Jayapal said that “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 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.”
Her comments came as activists interrupted a panel discussion at the conference with chants of “Free Palestine!”
Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal attempts to appease so-called “Free Palestine” protesters after they hijacked a leftist conference: “We have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state!” pic.twitter.com/9p2aX6uh4F
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 15, 2023
Not too long after she made those comments, however, the pushback began – and it came from her own party leadership.
“Israel is not a racist state,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu said in a statement that did not mention the progressive leader by name.
A draft statement signed by a handful of other House Democrats and circulating among lawmakers’ offices on Sunday expresses “deep concern” over what it calls Jayapal’s “unacceptable” comments, adding, “We will never allow anti-Zionist voices that embolden antisemitism to hijack the Democratic Party and country.”
Their pushback comes ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s address to a joint meeting of Congress later this week, which some progressives have said they’ll skip, citing concerns about human rights. House progressives have been vocal about their opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the US sponsorship of Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.
Jayapal apparently got an earful behind the scenes, because she released a lengthy statement on Twitter after the comments brought received broad condemnation.
“I have always worked toward a two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live freely, safely, and with self-determination alongside each other,” she wrote in the statement.
“On a very human level, I was also responding to the deep pain and hopelessness that exists for Palestinians and their diaspora communities when it comes to this debate,” she also said. “But I in no way intended to deny the deep pain and hurt of Israelis and their Jewish diaspora community that still reels from the trauma of pogroms and persecution, the Holocaust, and continuing anti-semitism and hate violence that is rampant today.”
Jayapal had previously declined to state whether or not she would attend a speech given to Congress by Israeli President Isaac Herzog this week. Other notable progressives – Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Jamaal Bowman of New York, and Cori Bush of Missouri – have all said they will not attend.
When asked by CNN last week about attending, her response was vague. “I don’t think I am,” she said. “I haven’t fully decided.”
House Democrats have always had a somewhat tenuous hold over far-left progressives when it comes to Israel. Democratic leadership in the House has always erred on the side of not wanting to alienate Jewish voters, many of whom are both Democrat voters and also pro-Israel. But progressive activists have become increasingly hostile toward Israel and its policies regarding terrorism coming from Palestine (and sponsored by the Palestinian authority).
But Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Tlaib, and others have increased their vocal opposition to the Israeli government, much to the private chagrin of Democratic leaders. Jayapal’s comments only increase their headache as it comes right before such a major speech. Lack of party unity doesn’t exactly help when coming into an election year.