Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) criticized the left wing of the Democratic Party on Sunday, suggesting that those advocating for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas are echoing a message supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Pelosi, calling for a cease-fire aligns with Putin’s stance on the issue. During her appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” she said, “Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he would like to see. Same thing with Ukraine.”
Pelosi even expressed her belief that some pro-Palestinian demonstrators may have connections to Russia.
Pelosi, who continues to serve in Congress in an advisory capacity rather than a leadership role, took the additional step of asserting that she suspects certain pro-Palestinian demonstrators may have affiliations with Russia.
Nancy Pelosi calls those wanting Gaza ceasefire Putin sympathizers, calls for FBI to probe themhttps://t.co/EDvzlps0uO pic.twitter.com/dLb0JxBAli
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 29, 2024
Protesters have been directing their calls for a cease-fire toward prominent Democrats, including President Biden, whom they’ve labeled “Genocide Joe” due to his backing of Israel.
Pelosi said, “Some of these protesters are spontaneous and organic and sincere. Some, I think, are connected to Russia. I say that having looked at this for a long time.”
She went on to say, “I don’t think they’re plants. I think some financing should be investigated, and I want the FBI to investigate that.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) criticized Pelosi’s remarks as “unsubstantiated smears,” with CAIR’s national executive director, Nihad Awad, remarking, “Representative Pelosi’s claim that some of the Americans protesting for a Gaza ceasefire are working with Vladimir Putin sounds delusional, and her call for the FBI to investigate those protesters without any evidence is downright authoritarian.”
Awad referenced a recent poll conducted by YouGov/The Economist, which revealed that approximately half of Biden’s 2020 backers believe that Israel is engaged in a genocidal campaign against Palestinian civilians.
As the Republican National Committee amplified Pelosi’s comments, Trita Parsi, an author and foreign affairs commentator who serves as the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, shared a clip of the former speaker’s CNN appearance and commented, “Is this the Democratic Party’s plan to delegitimize authentic fury over the slaughter in Gaza? Labeling Gaza ceasefire calls as ‘Putin’s message.’”
On Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) cautioned that the Democratic alliance might fracture due to differences over the war, yet Pelosi appeared undeterred during her CNN interview.
Pelosi said, “Young people care about the right to choose. They care about LGBTQ issues. They care about preserving the planet. They care about gun violence prevention. So they’re going to have to make the decision, staying home to enable or to organize and get out there and get the job done.”
