Jayapal: U.S. ‘Complicit’ in Israel’s ‘Racist Policies’

Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the United States is “complicit’ in the “racist policies” of Israel.

Anchor Kristen Welker said, “Let me ask you about your comments. You have characterized Israel as a racist state. After a backlash, you don’t believe the existence of Israel is racist. Can you explain? What do you mean by that, congresswoman?”

Jayapal said, “I clarified this right away, and not after a backlash of 12 hours of making a statement. I clarified that what I meant is that the existence of Israel is absolutely legitimate, and I think the world has come to see it as legitimate. However, there are racists within the Netanyahu government, and there are racist policies that Israel has been carrying out. I think it is important for us to recognize that we need to be able to criticize the policies of the Israeli government and not be called anti-Semitic. I really believe the conversation is changing in a way that is not helpful.”

She continued, “Let me say this, too, that at the end of the day, the president and the United States is absolutely responsible because we also have been the largest military backer of aid to Israel.”

She added, “We need to be able to question where U.S. taxpayer dollars are going and what accountability the United States has in ensuring that when the president calls for Israel to adhere to the international laws of war that they actually are doing that otherwise, we are complicit in a way that almost no other country in the world is.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN