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Yet Another Democrat Is Forcing Her Party to Do Damage Control for Anti-Israel Remarks

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  July 17, 2023 10:30 PM

Anti-Israeli sentiments have been heavily pervasive in the Democratic Party, especially when it comes to members like Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Another big name, however, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), is among the latest coming under fire for her problematic statements about Israel. Jayapal isn't just any ordinary member, though. She currently chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus. 

On Saturday, Jayapal was taking part in a Netsroots Nation, a progressive gathering held over the weekend in Chicago.

At one point, the panel was interrupted by unruly "Free Palestine" protesters, during which Jayapal stood up to talk to and relate to them. 

"I want you to know that we have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state," she offered, "that the Palestinian people deserve a self-determination, and autonomy, that the dream, that the dream of a two-state solution is slipping away from us, that it does not even feel possible, it does not even feel possible." 

In response to such a headache, fellow Democratic House members began drafting a letter obtained by Axios, in which the members said they were "deeply concerned about" her comments, which they called "unacceptable." The members did, however, "appreciate her retraction." 

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When it comes to that "retraction" from Jayapal, backlash forced her to change her tune.

"At a conference, I attempted to defuse a tense situation during a panel where fellow members of Congress were being protested. 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." 

That is where the clarification then came in, as she pointed fingers at the government under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," which she called an "extreme right-wing government" and said had "engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies and that there are extreme racists driving that policy within the leadership of the current government," adding that "I believe it is incumbent on all of us who are striving to make our world a more just and equitable place to call out and condemn these policies and this current Netanyahu government’s role in furthering them."

Jayapal also tried to offer support for the Palestinian people, while claiming she did not mean to offend Israelis. "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, 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," her statement also read. 

The congresswoman then reminded everyone that she is "an immigrant woman of color who has fought my whole life against racism, hate, and discrimination of all kinds and viscerally feels when anyone’s very existence is called into question" and is "deeply aware of the many challenges we face in our own country to live up to the ideals of our nation here."

"The only way through these difficult moments is to have real conversations where we develop our own understanding of each other and the traumas we all hold. These are not easy conversations but they are important ones if we are ever to move forward. It is in that spirit that I offer my apologies to those who I have hurt with my words, and offer this clarification," she continued.

"We know that the status quo is unacceptable, untenable, and unjust. It will take all of us — elected officials, movement activists, advocates, and communities — to work together for real progress," the statement concluded with. 

Beyond commending Jayapal for that "retraction," the drafted letter from Democrats included key lessons, including how "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." 

"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," the letter claimed. "We remain committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians to establish two-states that exist side-by-side in peace, prosperity, and mutual security."

The letter was signed by 43 House Democrats. 

Jayapal also retweeted positive feedback from members, including Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). It shared in part "I also think when out colleagues are decent enough to admit mistakes with language, we should be encouraging. Otherwise, we are sending a very bad message and keep the tent for Israel supporters much too small, to Israel's own detriment."

For all of the attempts to hide the disarray the Democratic Party is in, members such as Nadler cannot so easily hide from how anti-Israel sentiments look to be a pattern.

What about those who are not so "decent," as Nadler describes Jayapal here to be? Tlaib in particular has been very anti-Israeli, and is someone Nadler has called out before, as he did last September for claiming "it has become clear that you cannot claim to hold progressive values, yet back Israel’s apartheid government."

This is all part of a larger issue for the Democratic' Party. 

Axios, in its write-up about the letter, referred to the situation as "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."

House Democratic leadership spoke on the situation with a statement from Sunday night. It began by affirming "Israel is not a racist state." It went on to later highlight bipartisan support for Israel rather than focus on Democrats in disarray.

"Government officials come and go. The special relationship between the United States and Israel will endure. We are determined to make sure support for Israel in the Congress remains strongly bipartisan," the statement read. They may want to do a better job reeling in their Democratic members, then, and not just Jayapal. 

All of this has been going on as the Israeli president is set to address the House this week, as mentioned by Axios as well. "Our commitment to a safe and secure Israel is an invaluable partner, ally and beacon of democracy in the Middle East is ironclad," the letter claimed. "We look forward to welcoming Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the United States House of Representatives this week."

That welcoming sentiment towards Herzog isn't shared by all Democrats. Omar tweeted last week tweeted out a lengthy thread full of anti-Israeli sentiments in which she made it clear she would not attend his address.

Tlaib was similarly clear in her opposition, framing the matter as a call to "#BoycottApartheid."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) applauded those members who are boycotting the address and has urged more members to do so.

Jayapal herself may not even be attending. She told CNN's Manu Raju she would have to check her schedule and when asked if House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) should not have invited Herzog, Jayapal responded "I think that this is not a good time for that to happen." 

As McCarthy headlined his Twitter broadcast for Monday, "Several House Democrats have a long history of anti-semitic remarks. It is absolutely unacceptable. Anti-semitism has no place in the United States Congress."

"This isn't the first person in the Democratic Conference that has continued to make anti-Semitic comments," he said while taking a question. "We've watched what they continue to do, there are a number of them over there. I think that if the Democrats want to believe that they do not have a conference that continues to make anti-Semitic remarks, they need to do something about it," adding "because they've defended these individuals time and again." 

McCarthy also pointed out that Jayapal is "not just elected as a Democrat in their conference," but that "she is a leader of the causes, and she's making these comments."

She's not the only one, though, as members like Tlaib and Omar have made remarks too. "These are just multiple Democrats on multiple times consistently saying anti-Semitic remarks, and it has got to stop," McCarthy urged. 

"If they believe differently," McCarthy said about members of the Democratic conference, "they should take action against their own for the comments coming from their leadership within their own Democratic Party."

Axios is also reporting that the House on Tuesday will vote on a resolution in support of Israel authored by Rep. August Plufger (R-TX). It already seems like a better effort than a severely watered down resolution from the Democratically-controlled House in 2019 that was supposed to condemn anti-Semitism. 

It's not merely resolutions that are coming about as a result of such anti-Israel sentiments from Democrats in this Republican-controlled House. In February, the House voted to remove Omar from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The speaker reminded reporters as much when he said that "the only time action has ever been taken is when we had to take the action."