A House Democrat is taking heat after talking about how the response to Hamas’ acts of sexual violence needs to be “balanced.”
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) was asked about accusations progressives have been silent about Hamas’ brutal acts of sexual violence during the October 7 attacks.
She began by stating she has condemned such atrocities, but quickly pivoted to state, “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, uh, morally, I think we cannot say that one war crime deserves another. That is not what international humanitarian law says,” Jayapal added.
When Bash interjected to note the question was about Hamas’ actions — not Israel — Jayapal insisted she had already answered the question.
She went on, “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.”
That is where she should have stopped. Yet, for some reason, she could not and inexplicably tried to take a both sides angle on the issue of rape.
“I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians. Fifteen thousand Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children,” she insisted.
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Bash interjected again, “And it’s horrible. But you don’t see Israeli soldiers raping Palestinian women.”
Christine Pelosi, daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), criticized Jayapal’s sentiment without specifically mentioning her as she wrote on X, “I should not have to say this in 2023 but here we are: RAPE IS RAPE.”
“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,” she added.
I should not have to say this in 2023 but here we are: RAPE IS RAPE.
— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) December 3, 2023
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. #WeSaidEnough
Writer Daniella Greenbaum Davis posted, “Rape is not resistance. Israeli women are human beings. This isn’t feminism. It’s not peace. It’s not justice. It’s incitement.”
Rape is not resistance. Israeli women are human beings. This isn’t feminism. It’s not peace. It’s not justice. It’s incitement. https://t.co/1BlytaXvaW
— Daniella Greenbaum Davis (@DGreenbaum) December 3, 2023
Jessica Tarlov, a liberal co-host of Fox News’ “The Five,” wrote, “This is beyond f*cked up Every single one of these Democratic primaries of the ‘progressives’ is going to be justified.”
This is beyond f*cked up
— Jessica Tarlov (@JessicaTarlov) December 3, 2023
Every single one of these Democratic primaries of the ‘progressives’ is going to be justified https://t.co/uLu2EDcpuC
Former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh wrote, “There’s no ‘but.'”
“Hamas is using rape [and] sexual violence against women as weapons of war and Jayapal had neither the decency, fairness, or courage to unequivocally condemn what Hamas did. She had to say ‘but,'” he added.
There’s no “but” @RepJayapal. Hamas is using rape & sexual violence against women as weapons of war and Jayapal had neither the decency, fairness, or courage to unequivocally condemn what Hamas did. She had to say “but.”
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) December 3, 2023
Good on @DanaBashCNN for pushing her. https://t.co/DompNWZT9n
Meanwhile, conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote, “I am today years old learning that ‘believe all women’ doesn’t apply to Israeli women who have been raped.”
I am today years old learning that "believe all women" doesn't apply to Israeli women who have been raped. https://t.co/WJy8Xgnn5a
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) December 3, 2023
To a certain extent, Jayapal has a point. Only in that, war crimes do not give the victim the right to go on a bloody rampage and throw off any kind of restraint and decency to get revenge.
However, that is not what Israel is or has been doing in Gaza. It has been dropping leaflets urging people to evacuate before its military operations to try to minimize civilian casualties. By contrast, Hamas has urged Palestinians to ignore such warnings, and there have also been reports of people being prevented from leaving.
And if Israel wanted to indiscriminately kill Palestinians, it could bomb Gaza into oblivion without sending in any soldiers. Yet again, that is not what it is doing.
But regardless of how Israel is carrying out its military operations, it should not be hard to say raping women is wrong without any kind of equivocation. There should not be a “but” after the condemnation.
