Pelosi Rebuts Criticism Within Party Over Israel Stance

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, representing California, criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for their views on Israel. Pelosi labeled their positions as “wrong” and clarified that these views did not align with those of congressional Democrats.

During the “On Brand” podcast with Donny Deutsch, a discussion surfaced about reconciling support for the Democratic Party with politicians whose statements might be seen as antisemitic. Deutsch mentioned comments he found concerning from Mamdani and El-Sayed.

When you say Israel doesn’t have the right to be a Jewish state, that’s antisemitic as far as I’m concerned, Deutsch stated. Asked for specific examples, Deutsch pointed to Mamdani and El-Sayed.

Pelosi responded to Deutsch’s mention of Mamdani and El-Sayed by asserting, It’s more than concerning. It’s wrong. It’s wrong. And it isn’t a reflection of the Democrats in the Congress of the United States. She emphasized that such comments were not representative of the broader party views in Congress.

Before becoming New York City’s mayor, Mamdani dodged questions about whether Israel should exist as a Jewish state. In a June 28 interview, he voiced support for Israel to be a state with equal rights, avoiding endorsement of its identity as a Jewish state.

El-Sayed similarly has not affirmed Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. In a past meeting with Jewish supporters, he expressed difficulty in aligning the concept of a Jewish state with liberal values prevalent in the United States.

In her interview, Pelosi addressed the broader question of antisemitism within the Democratic Party. She initially contested claims that antisemitism was prevalent among Democrats, noting, The fact is that I really do not know of anybody there on our side who is engaged in antisemitism. However, she acknowledged the possibility of some comments being misinterpreted.

Pelosi distinguished individual positions from the party’s consensus, reiterating that district representation does not equate to impacting the Democratic Party’s collective stance. She cited Hakeem Jeffries, noting his clear position on the issue.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of Pelosi, Mamdani, and El-Sayed but did not receive immediate responses.

Rabbi Yaakov Menken, of the Coalition for Jewish Values, described Pelosi as an ally to the Jewish community within the House Democrats but criticized her for not addressing antisemitic expressions from party members. Pelosiclaims she wants for those voices to be marginalized within her party, yet she demonstrates that she has turned a deaf ear, both to antisemitic expression from her colleagues and to the rabbis anxious to set her straight on the magnitude of the problem, Menken stated.

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