December 8, 2023, New York, NY – Chairwoman Congressional Progressive Caucus Rep. Pramila Jayapal displayed a moral failure in downplaying sexual violence against women on Oct. 7. The use of rape as a tool of war during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel deserves a direct and unambiguous condemnation without equivocation. We expect the chairwoman of a key congressional caucus not to shy away from stating a simple fact: that Israeli women faced rape and mutilation during the terror attack.
We urge Pramila Jayapal not to pivot to the Israel-Gaza conflict every time she is asked for her position on the plight of Israeli women. The sexual mutilation, and the fact that Israeli women in their twenties and thirties remain in captivity with sexual predators in Gaza, are incidents significant enough to stand on their own in terms of condemnation without equivocation to pander to a political base. Hamas’ refusal to allow the Red Cross access to captive women, and stalling talks for their release, are developments that should have heightened Rep. Jayapal’s concern for what clearly is a Hamas policy of targeting women in war. If there ever was a time for advocates of women’s rights to raise alarm about impending sexual abuse in conflict, this is it.
What are the pressures that compel Rep. Jayapal to equivocate when asked about Israeli women victims of Oct. 7 sexual assaults? We expect Rep. Jayapal to drop expediency and the impression of evasion and firmly speak on Israeli women’s victimization. Hedging on this issue is morally reprehensible, and Rep. Jayapal’s colleagues – Rep. Ritchie Torres, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Lois Frankel, and others, like Christine Pelosi– have rightly called this out.
The Congressional Progressive Caucus plays an important agenda-setting role in our politics. Rep. Jayapal’s chairmanship has been marked by controversy, which came to a head this week on an issue where President Biden has shown remarkable clarity and where bipartisan support has been exemplary.
Jack Rosen, President
Dr. Munr Kazmir, Vice President
Daniel Rosen, Vice Chair
Dr. Ben Chouake, Secretary
Michael Melnicke, Treasurer
