Katherine Clark backs off Gaza 'genocide' comments

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Her statement comes after saying the “genocide and destruction” in Gaza needs to end

Link to tweet

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/19/katherine-clark-israel-war-00514667

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said that she was not accusing the Israeli government of committing genocide in Gaza, despite saying at an event last week there was “genocide and destruction” in the war-torn strip.

“Last week, while attending an event in my district, I repeated the word ‘genocide’ in response to a question. I want to be clear that I am not accusing Israel of genocide, ” she said in the statement to POLITICO on Tuesday. “We all need to work with urgency to bring the remaining hostages home, surge aid to Palestinians and oppose their involuntary relocation, remove Hamas from power, and end the war.”.....

Though Democrats across the country have been critical of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, very few have called it a genocide. Clark is the second-highest ranking Democrat in the House and would have been one of the most senior members of the party to take that stance.

The war in Gaza has roiled the Democratic Party, as politicians and potential 2028 candidates grapple with how to talk about the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

[writerJT]

1. Her campaign's AIPAC money

Katherine Clark for Congress from American Israel Public Affairs Cmte $371,187 in 2024

https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2024&vendor=Katherine+Clark+for+Congress

Edit: That amount is up from $45k in 2022 and $0 in 2020.

[SSJVegeta]

4. Yeah they werent happy with her. Either she stops taking their money or back off

I guess "back off" was the obvious choice for her

[Nanjeanne]

5. Well that explains it! She got a call.

[Rob H.]

2. $702,983 from the pro-Israel lobby likely played a significant role in her walking back her comments

She probably got some angry phone calls from AIPAC, JAC, JSTREET, CITYPAC, and MDACC threatening her funding since last week.

[AloeVera]

3. So it's a genocide but not by Israel? Who then?

We need to get to the bottom of this ASAP!

[AZJonnie]

6. Given she said she 'repeated it in response to a question' I'm assuming a constituent asked a question

like "What are Democrats doing to stop the genocide and destruction in Gaza" and she replied like "We are doing A LOT to stop the genocide and destruction in Gaza" type of thing.

I believe her that she didn't really mean to say that, and does not actually hold that view.

Although if you watched John Oliver a couple weeks back (and/or generally paid attention to what is unfolding there), you'd know it's becoming a real question as to whether that is the appropriate term, even if it's highly politically-incorrect accusation.

It ain't THAT far off IMHO, put it like that.

[cliffside]

7. Kick, can you whip some votes to stop sending weapons to Israel? nt