The Democrats are under fire after downplaying the issue of rape against Hamas’ women hostages.
CNN host Dana Bash asked Rep. Pramila Jayapal why the [Democrats] seemed silent on the use of rape as a weapon of war, specifically on the October 7 attack by the Hamas and what might be happening inside Gaza right now to Israeli hostages.
“Why is that?” Bash inquired.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal defended this and claimed that, “I mean, I don’t know that that’s true. I think what — we always talk about the impact of war on women, in particular…I remember, 20 years ago, I did a petition around the war in Iraq, saying that …”
But the CNN host clarified if Jayapal was referring to the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas.
To which the lawmaker responded,
“Oh…And I have condemned what Hamas has done. I have condemned all of the actions.” Jayapal said.
“Specifically against women?” Bash asked.
“The rape, the — of course,” Jayapal answered and then shifted to focus on Israel.
This was pointed out by Bash who said, “I was just asking about the women, and you turned it back to Israel. I’m asking you about Hamas.”
Jayapal went on to justify her statement that “we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians.” She cited that “fifteen thousand Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children.”
The same theme had also become a point of contention in the United Nations. House lawmakers called out the UN Women for disregarding the Hamas-terror group for violating women’s rights while condemning Israel for their counter-attacks.
“The failure by UN Women to publicly stand up for Israeli women and condemn Hamas’ systematic atrocities undermines UN Women and highlights its one-sided approach,” the lawmakers wrote Wednesday to UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Meanwhile, Jayapal’s remarks had earned the ire of various groups and pro-Israeli advocates.
Westchester, New York District Attorney Mimi Rocah shared on X, “Rape & sexual torture was pre-planned and pre-mediated. Not “just” a part of war. And even if it was, we must condemn it here and always. Period.”
“Congresswoman Jayapal is an embarrassment to the United States Congress,” Judge Jeanine Pirro wrote.
“In her twisted mind, “Believe all women” must exclude Jewish women. She is her own biggest hypocrite. How can we justify keeping an anti-semite in the halls of Congress?”
Brooke Goldstein, executive director of The Lawfare Project said “She really showed the true colors of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The fact that it took UN women eight weeks to condemn THE SYSTEMIC MURDER AND RAPE OF WOMEN AS A WAR CRIME, IS APPALLING.”
