Progressive lawmaker Pramila Jayapal is facing criticism from fellow Democrats for her comments downplaying the reported sexual violence by Hamas terrorists against Israeli women.
Jayapal was accused of trying to find a moral equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force during a television interview.
Critics, including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Ritchie Torres, condemned Jayapal’s comments, emphasizing that the reported sexual violence by Hamas should be unequivocally condemned. (Trending: Bombshell Email Uncovered Between Joe Biden And Hunter)
CNN Clashes With 'Squad' Democrat Over Hamas
Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal on CNN on condemning Hamas's sexual violence:
"I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians."
Dana Bash replies, "You don't see Israeli soldiers raping… pic.twitter.com/3tmuiTfuzg
— AnalyzingAmerica (@AnalyzAmerica) December 4, 2023
“Hamas terrorists raped Israeli women and girls. The only ‘balanced’ approach is to condemn sexual violence loudly, forcefully and without exceptions. Outrageous for anyone to ‘both sides’ sexual violence,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote.
“I mean, I don’t, I don’t know that that’s true. I think we always talk about the impact of war on women, in particular,” Jayapal said.
“We have to remember that Israel is a democracy. That is why they are a strong ally of ours.”
“And if they do not comply with international humanitarian law, they are bringing themselves to a place that makes it much more difficult strategically for them to be able to build the kinds of allies to keep public opinion with them.”
“And frankly, morally, I think we cannot say that one war crime deserves another. That is not what international humanitarian law says.”
“I said it’s horrific, and I think that rape is horrific. Sexual assault is horrific. I think that it happens in war situations. Terrorist organizations like Hamas, obviously are using these as tools,” Jayapal stated.
“However, I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians – 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children.”
“Rape and sexual violence against Israeli women calls for nothing less than unequivocal condemnation,” Rep. Ritchie Torres said in response.
“Israel did not invade Palestinian homes and rape and sexually violate Palestinian women. Hamas did invade Israeli homes and did rape and sexually violate Israeli women,” Torres said.
“There is no ‘balance’ or ‘both sides’ or ‘moral equivalence’ here. Period.”
“Do not minimize, excuse, ‘balance’ or ‘both sides’ sexual assault – that is victim blaming we have spent decades trying to undo in the laws, the courts and the hearts and minds of the people,” Christine Pelosi wrote.
Jayapal, known for her advocacy against sexual violence, faced backlash for her remarks, which were deemed as minimizing or excusing sexual assault.
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