SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — After declining to call Israel’s actions in Gaza “genocide” during a congressional debate forum, State Senator Scott Wiener has changed course.
Wiener posted a video to social media Sunday, saying he does believe the conflict in Gaza is genocide.
The statement comes days after a forum featuring Wiener and other candidates who are hoping to fill Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress.
“For those of you who saw the debate clip from last week I want to clarify that I do believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza,” Wiener said in the video. “To me the Israeli government has tried to destroy Gaza and to push Palestinians out. And that qualifies as genocide.”
Wiener, who is Jewish, talked about how the word genocide can be sensitive given its connection to the Holocaust.
In the past, he stopped short of calling Israel’s actions genocide, but says he can’t anymore.
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