Against the backdrop of a White House event discussing conflict-related sexual violence on Monday, US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) spoke to CNN's Dana Bash about the denial of the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists against Israeli women on October 7th.
The congresswoman said that the way to combat the denialism of such crimes is by "making sure we can shine a bright spotlight on the sexual and gender-based that Hamas perpetrated on its victims on October 7th and that is very likely, we know, are continuing to be perpetrated."
She emphasized that she is "really proud of the Vice President and the Second Gentleman for using the White House's platform to make sure that the world knows that Hamas used sexual violence and continues to use it as a weapon of war. It is violating Israeli women."
Wasserman Schultz noted that she hosted a forum with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff during which representatives of the Israeli police showed videos taken by the terrorists of their acts of sexual violence. She recalled what she saw in the footage and added: "The denialism is outrageous, we have to knock it down."
The congresswoman said she hoped and was confident that the Vice President would confirm the fact that Hamas terrorists committed such crimes and that "any organization, either international or domestic, that denies it is essentially allowing these acts of violence to be committed again and again."
She added: "There can't be an exception for Jewish victims, there can't be an exception for Israelis. The idea that it's 'me too unless you're a Jew' is unacceptable."
The Democrat then turned to attack her Republican adversaries: "When you have Republicans in Congress defund the UN Population Fund which provides resources all over the world to combat sexual violence against women across the globe, you can see where Republican priorities are."
Rep. Wasserman Schultz was also asked if she would be attending Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to Congress next month. She answered that, as opposed to other members of her party, she would attend. "I, of course, believe that hearing from the leader of Israel, one of the US's closest allies, is critical and that's separate from whether you agree or disagree on some of the decisions he's made. Every member has to make their own decision about whether to attend, but not only do I owe my constituents that, it's a relationship that you need to honor."