Democrats denounce Rep. Pramila Jayapal calling Israel a ‘racist state’By Ryan King
July 17, 2023
Leading House Democrats distanced themselves Monday from top progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s characterization of Israel as a “racist state” over the weekend as official Washington prepares for a visit by the Jewish state’s president, Isaac Herzog.
Jayapal (D-Wash.), who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, made the controversial retort while seeking to assuage protesters at the progressive Netroots Nation conference on Saturday. She later walked the comment back, but party leaders quickly tried to make clear she didn’t speak for them.
“Israel is not a racist state,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said in a joint statement.
“As a Jewish and Democratic nation, Israel was founded 75 years ago on the principle of complete equality of social and political rights for all of its citizens irrespective of religion, race or sex, as codified in its Declaration of Independence.”
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/07/17/democrats-denounce-rep-jayapals-calling-israel-a-racist-state/
