A previous Speaker of the House urged the FBI to probe demonstrators urging the Biden administration to back a ceasefire in Gaza.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that individuals supporting a Gaza ceasefire might have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, without providing evidence. This claim was criticized by peace advocates in Gaza as unfair and authoritarian.”
During an interview on Sunday, Nancy Pelosi suggested that protesters advocating for a Gaza ceasefire could be linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin. She called for the FBI to investigate these protesters. Pelosi mentioned that while some protesters may be genuine, others might have connections to Russia. However, she did not provide any evidence to support her claims.
When asked if she thought activists were “Russian plants,” Pelosi responded, “Maybe.” She suggested investigating their funding and wants the FBI to look into it. This upset activists who support a Gaza ceasefire and believe Israel’s actions are “genocide.”
Nihad Awad, the leader of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, criticized Pelosi’s comments as unfair. He compared them to accusing Vietnam War opponents of being communists. Awad believes Pelosi’s remarks unfairly target those who support Palestinians. He wants leaders to focus on ending the conflict in Gaza instead of blaming Americans for helping Russia.
Ever since the conflict started in October, there’s been growing opposition to Joe Biden’s Gaza policy. Various groups, including Jewish, progressive, and anti-war organizations, are pushing for a ceasefire. Recently, activists have been disrupting Biden’s major events, like a speech on women’s rights in Virginia, where they interrupted him numerous times.
Biden has been cautious about backing an immediate ceasefire, despite efforts by his administration to negotiate a temporary halt to the violence in exchange for the release of nearly 100 hostages taken during the October 7 attack on Israel. The increasing death toll among Palestinians, now estimated to have surpassed 26,000, and the widespread suffering in Gaza, have angered significant portions of his Democratic base.
Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid, who advocates for a ceasefire and closely monitors the US response to the Gaza conflict, criticized Pelosi’s remarks as “unacceptable disinformation spread by the most influential Democratic party leaders.”
Democrats are most successful when they represent a broad coalition, but the party leadership has sabotaged itself by vigorously attacking the majority of their own Democratic voters who oppose the war,” he said.
Pelosi, who led House Democrats for 20 years and served twice as House speaker, is apparently the first and most high-profile US official to publicly accuse Russia of supporting pro-Palestinian activists in an effort to exacerbate divisions among Democrats over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Pelosi made the comments in response to a question about whether opposition to Biden’s handling of the conflict could hurt the president’s re-election prospects in November.
Following Pelosi’s CNN appearance, a spokesperson highlighted her emphasis on prioritizing efforts to end the suffering in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
After Pelosi’s CNN appearance, a spokesperson emphasized her support for peaceful protests but also called for more investigation into foreign meddling before the 2024 election. Brianna Wu, who runs a group backing progressive candidates, commented on social media that while Pelosi’s remarks were clumsy, they reflect recent Russian efforts to cause division in US politics. Wu pointed out how issues like Israel-Palestine are being exploited to create divisions within the Democratic Party.
In Michigan, Democratic leaders are concerned that dissatisfaction with Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict could impact his support among Arab Americans, a key demographic in the state for the 2024 election.
Abdullah Hammoud, the Democratic mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, shared poll results indicating widespread support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza among residents.
In response to Nancy Pelosi’s remarks, Hammoud questioned whether Democrats and Americans supporting a ceasefire are actually influenced by Russia.
Hammoud, along with other Arab and Muslim leaders, declined to meet with Biden’s reelection campaign manager to discuss the administration’s approach to the conflict, citing concerns about the Democratic leadership’s unity.