Progressive US Democrat Jayapal Apologizes for Calling Israel ‘Racist’

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Consultant Pramila Jayapal, who heads a big group of progressive Democrats within the U.S. Congress, on Sunday apologized for calling Israel a racist state as Democratic leaders within the Home of Representatives pushed again towards her preliminary declaration.

“I don’t consider the concept of Israel as a nation is racist,” Jayapal stated in a press release.

“I do, nonetheless, consider that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s excessive right-wing authorities has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist insurance policies and that there are excessive racists driving that coverage inside the management of the present authorities,” she added.

On Saturday, Jayapal made her preliminary remarks – labeling Israel a “racist state” – at a convention held in Chicago the place pro-Palestine protesters have been interrupting a panel dialogue, in accordance with media studies.

In a separate assertion on Sunday, Home Democratic Chief Hakeem Jeffries and three of his high management aides stated that “Israel will not be a racist state,” in an obvious rebuke to Jayapal. They added, “There are particular person members of the present Israeli governing coalition with whom we strongly disagree,” simply as they typically disagree with U.S. Home Republican lawmakers.

The Jeffries assertion didn’t particularly point out Jayapal.

The controversy surfaced because the U.S. Home and Senate have invited Israeli President Isaac Herzog to handle a joint assembly of Congress on Wednesday, someday after his go to with President Joe Biden. Some members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus have signaled that they may not attend the occasion.

Jayapal stated that she has lengthy supported a two-state resolution for Israel and Palestinians, however identified her opposition to Israel’s continued enlargement of settlements in disputed areas.

“I by no means supposed to disclaim the deep ache and harm of Israelis and their Jewish Diaspora group that also reels from the trauma of pogroms and persecution, the Holocaust, and persevering with anti-Semitism and hate violence that’s rampant right now,” Jayapal added.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan)

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