Rep. Kustoff to Newsmax: Jayapal Can’t Take Back ‘Racist’ Israel Comment

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Monday even though Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., apologized for calling Israel a racist state, the damage has already been done.

“When members of Congress make statements — certainly about Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East — people around the world pay attention,” Kustoff, who is Jewish, told “The Record With Greta Van Susteren.” “Not only the people here in the United States but the people around the world, and so she feeds into that type of ignorance and hatred when she makes that comment.

“She doesn’t get the chance to have a do-over and to try to walk it back. What she said is clearly on the record. You cannot unring the bell. You cannot unhear it. It is right there.”

Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called Israel a racist state on Saturday while addressing pro-Palestinian protesters who interrupted a panel discussion at the Netroots Nation conference in Chicago. She tweeted an apology Sunday, saying she didn’t mean the “idea” of Israel as a nation is racist but was referring to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It was obvious that she really believed what she said, or she was pandering,” Kustoff said. “As members of Congress, probably whatever position you’re in, you’ve probably said things before that you wish you could walk back.

“This was either a very deliberate attempt by her to lay down whatever gauntlet she was trying to lay down or she was pandering.”

The House is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution cosponsored by Kustoff and Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, on supporting Israel. The resolution proclaims that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state, that Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia, and that the U.S. will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel. The vote will occur a day before Israeli President Isaac Herzog addresses a joint session of Congress.

“It will be interesting whether the people like [Rep.] Jayapal and others on the Democrat side will vote yes, or whether they’ll vote no or whether they just won’t vote,” Kustoff said. “It’s important that we send out that affirmative statement to the country and to the rest of the world. That we know Israel. We appreciate Israel. It’s not a racist state, especially when we have President Herzog speaking to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.”

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