Jayapal Takes a Stand: Condemning Hamas' Use of Rape and Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War
Democratic Rep Pramila Jayapal of Washington state firmly denounces Hamas' reprehensible tactics of utilizing rape and sexual violence as acts of warfare, a stance that has sparked controversy among her fellow Democratic House members
Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal from Washington state made a strong statement on Tuesday, expressing her unequivocal condemnation of Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Her remarks came after comments she made to CNN's Dana Bash caused controversy among her fellow Democratic House members. In a recent statement, Jayapal emphasized her condemnation of Hamas' use of sexual violence and called for global solidarity in condemning such acts and ensuring accountability for the perpetrators.
During her appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, Jayapal, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, condemned the "horrific" rape of Israeli women by Hamas. She also highlighted the over 15,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the start of the war, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach in addressing the outrages against Palestinians.
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Bash calls out silence over Hamas' use of sexual violence. Hear Jayapal's response
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CNN
In her statement Tuesday, Jayapal said her comment "about balance was not about rape, and not intended to minimize rape and sexual assault in any way."
Jayapal recognized the immense suffering experienced by Israelis, Palestinians, and their diaspora communities during the war, stating, "I understand that I have critics who disagree with me on policy, but for them to insinuate that I would think, say or act in any way that equivocates on rape is outrageous and completely inconsistent with my record and life's work. It also deeply hurts the ability to have meaningful conversations about critical issues."
Jayapal's remarks highlight the deep divides within the Democratic Party regarding how to approach the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This comes as Democrats grapple with reconciling their support for Israel's right to self-defense following the October 7 attacks with the growing outcry, particularly from the left, over the devastation in Gaza.
On Tuesday, the House passed a resolution led by Republicans condemning antisemitism in the U.S. and globally. However, some Democrats raised concerns that the language of the GOP resolution is too sweeping and could essentially label any criticism of the Israeli government or its policies as antisemitic.
In a separate effort, Democratic Representatives Lois Frankel of Florida and Debbie Dingell of Michigan are preparing to present a resolution this week denouncing Hamas' use of sexual violence and rape against Israeli women. According to a source familiar with Frankel's stance, addressing rape as a tool of war has been a longstanding focus for the congresswoman, and the resolution was not crafted in response to any specific remarks made by other members. This report includes contributions from CNN's Annie Grayer.
