Overview
- California state Sen. Scott Wiener said in a Sunday video that he now believes Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, reversing his earlier reluctance to use the term.
- At a recent candidate forum, Wiener declined to give a yes-or-no answer on genocide and was jeered, while rivals Connie Chan and Saikat Chakrabarti answered yes.
- Chakrabarti and his campaign accused Wiener of a politically motivated shift, calling the change opportunistic rather than principled.
- Wiener’s statement means the three leading Democrats vying to replace Nancy Pelosi now endorse the genocide characterization, a charge rejected by Israel and the United States.
- The episode reflects a broader recalibration of Israel rhetoric in Democratic primaries, with Rep. Dan Goldman in New York softening past certainty by calling for an investigation rather than a categorical label.