Democratic Lawmakers Condemn Anti‑Israel Journalist’s Racial Remark About Hakeem Jeffries

When Rula Jebreal appeared on Wajahat Ali’s “The Left Hook” podcast earlier this week, she let loose a phrase that quickly turned the conversation into a firestorm. In a heated moment she labeled House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Black congressman from New York, an “AIPAC monkey,” adding that the term was meant to convey her frustration with his perceived support for Israel.

“His name is Hakeem. ‘Hakeem’ means ‘healer.’ He’s not a healer, he’s a divider,” Jebreal said, before sliding into the controversial epithet. “He’s a bought‑and‑paid‑for AIPAC monkey,” she continued, trying to qualify the comment with “with all due respect – and I don’t mean it in a racist way.”

The host, Ali, attempted a quick correction, noting that using “monkey” for a Black person carries “terrible racial connotations.” Jebreal responded that she was thinking of the three wise monkeys—“see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”—and claimed there was no racial animus behind her wording.

That explanation fell flat for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). In a statement posted to X, the CBC declared, “There is no non‑racist way to call Leader Jeffries—a Black man—a ‘monkey’ or ‘errand boy.’” The caucus also called out the podcast’s host, saying his willingness to platform such language reflected “low standards for what’s allowable in our discourse.”

Other Democrats jumped in. Rep. Joe Neguse (D‑CO) wrote, “Blatantly racist and offensive rhetoric – it should be condemned by everyone, across the political spectrum. Period.” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D‑NY) added, “Calling a Black man a ‘monkey’ is racist. Full stop. If they were on the far right, the left would have no problem condemning them.”

Jebreal later posted an apology on X, stating, “I am disgusted and horrified that Hakeem Jeffries is taking money from AIPAC amidst Israel’s genocide in Palestine. That said, a term that I used to describe him was inappropriate and offensive and should never have been used. I apologize unconditionally.” Yet analysts, such as Axia Public Relations CEO Jason Mudd, called the apology “a closing argument with ‘sorry’ bolted on,” suggesting it was more damage control than genuine contrition.

Neither Jeffries nor Jebreal responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital, leaving the episode to linger as a reminder that the political left is not immune to the same demeaning language that has long plagued the right.