Pelosi Criticizes Colleagues’ Views on Israel

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., recently spoke out against the positions of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed regarding Israel. She described their views as “wrong” and not reflective of the Democratic stance in Congress.

The discussion arose during an episode of the “On Brand” podcast, where host Donny Deutsch, identifying as Jewish, questioned Pelosi on supporting a party with members whose statements he saw as antisemitic.

“When you say Israel doesn’t have the right to be a Jewish state, that’s antisemitic as far as I’m concerned with all that,” Deutsch stated.

After being prompted for examples, Deutsch mentioned Mamdani and El-Sayed. Responding, Pelosi emphasized that their comments were more than concerning, labeling them as “wrong.” She stressed that such views do not match those of the Democrats in Congress.

Mamdani, before becoming mayor, avoided questions on supporting Israel as a Jewish state. In a June interview with ABC News, while he affirmed support for Israel as a state with equal rights, he refrained from endorsing it as a Jewish state. Mamdani remarked, “I think any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can’t tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else.”

Similarly, El-Sayed, a Michigan Senate candidate, expressed difficulty in affirming Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. During a May appearance with Jewish supporters, he noted his struggle with the question, suggesting such an idea contradicts liberal values in the United States.

Despite these remarks, Pelosi dismissed their impact on the larger Democratic Party. She stated, “People represent their districts, and we have to respect that. The job description, job title is representative, but that doesn’t mean it has an impact on the consensus of the Democratic Party.” She also highlighted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been clear on the party’s stance.

Fox News Digital contacted representatives for Pelosi, Mamdani, and El-Sayed for comments but did not immediately receive a response.

Additionally, Rabbi Yaakov Menken, executive vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, commented on Pelosi’s stance, noting concern. He acknowledged Pelosi as a friend of the Jewish community but worried about her apparent lack of recognition of antisemitism among her colleagues.