Politics

Democrat Congresswoman Appears To Claim Israel Should Be Blamed For Hamas Firing Rockets

Rep. Pramila Jayapal speaks to CNN's Jake Tapper about the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict [Twitter:Screenshot: The Lead CNN]

[Twitter/Screenshot/The Lead CNN]

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
Font Size:

Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal appeared to suggest Israel was partly to blame for the ongoing conflict with Gaza while speaking on CNN Thursday.

CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Jayapal what the appropriate type of response should be from the Israeli government, noting Hamas began indiscriminately firing rockets at Israel more than a week ago.

“Well we condemn Hamas’ firing of those rockets but I think you have to look at what prompted even that behavior,” Jayapal said, appearing to shift the blame onto Israel. “I think there was you know the continued annexation that Israel has been undertaking for years.”

“This has been a pattern of action from Israel that frankly has taken away the idea even of a two-state solution, and has led to increased hopelessness from the Palestinian people,” she said.  “I think what Hamas has done is – obviously we condemn that – but we have to look at the power balance here, or imbalance as it were, and we have to put more responsibility on Israel in maintaining peace in the region.”

Other members of Congress have appeared to shift most of the blame to Israel as well. (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Ocasio-Cortez Admits She Has No Clue What She’s Talking About Immediately After Attacking Israel)

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said President Joe Biden “reinforces the false idea that Palestinians instigated this cycle of violence.”

Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders published an op-ed in The New York Times where he also appeared to shift the blame from Hamas to Israel.

“We should also understand that, while Hamas firing rockets into Israeli communities is absolutely unacceptable, today’s conflict did not begin with those rockets.”

Sanders pointed to the Sheikh Jarrah evictions and claimed “those evictions are just one part of a broader system of political and economic oppression.”

While Sanders goes on to say there is no excuses for Hamas, he quickly points to Israel as being too authoritative.

“None of this excuses the attacks by Hamas, which were an attempt to exploit the unrest in Jerusalem, or the failures of the corrupt and ineffective Palestinian Authority, which recently postponed long-overdue elections,” Sanders wrote.

“But the fact of the matter is that Israel remains the one sovereign authority in the land of Israel and Palestine, and rather than preparing for peace and justice, it has been entrenching its unequal and undemocratic control.”

Democratic Michigan Rep. Ilhan Omar retweeted a clip of Israeli politician Ofer Cassif who also blamed Israel for the recent conflict. It said, “Netanyahu ignited a fire to maintain his rule. We shall say that everywhere and in every language”

Omar has also accused Israel of committing “war crimes.”