'Israel has committed genocide in Gaza': California Democrat Scott Wiener on his controversial U-turn

9 snips

Jan 20, 2026

California State Senator Scott Wiener, a frontrunner for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat, discusses his controversial shift in labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. He explains the backlash he faced from the Jewish community and reflects on his hesitation during a debate. Wiener emphasizes the importance of addressing such serious accusations while recognizing his role within the Jewish community. He advocates for balancing criticism of the Israeli government with support for Israel’s right to exist, and shares hopes to focus on domestic issues as his campaign progresses.

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ANECDOTE

Debate Moment That Went Viral

At a candidate forum Scott Wiener refused to raise a yes/no sign when asked if Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
His hesitation provoked boos and led him to record a clarifying video soon after.

INSIGHT

Why The Word 'Genocide' Is Fraught

Wiener says he used very stark language about Gaza for years but avoided the word genocide because it has been weaponized against Israel and Jews.
He argues the term is fraught and means different things to different people, which complicated his earlier rhetoric.

ADVICE

State Your Belief After Deliberation

After introspection and many conversations, Wiener advises being honest about what you believe rather than avoiding charged words.
He chose to state clearly that he believes genocide has occurred despite knowing it would upset parts of his community.

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California State Senator Scott Wiener, the frontrunner for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat, insisted on the Haaretz Podcast that his change of heart regarding whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide did not represent a political flip-flop.

In early January, Wiener faced an angry audience at a candidate’s forum, in which he debated his two rivals in the California Democratic primary to replace retiring Representative Pelosi. In a lightning round question, Wiener was asked to answer “yes” or “no” to the question of whether Israel was "committing genocide in Gaza." His rivals answered “yes” while Wiener refused to respond, prompting boos and jeers. Shortly afterwards, he released a video in which he clarified that he did believe Israel’s actions in Gaza should be defined as genocide.

On the podcast, Wiener said that in the past, “I've used very, very stark language that, frankly, has not been particularly different from genocide. I chose not to use the word genocide for a variety of reasons, because, it has been weaponized against Israel and against Jews over time.”

Wiener also responded to the harsh backlash from the Jewish community following the release of the video. Wiener, the co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, said he “respects and honors” why the Jewish community feels “hurt and betrayed” by his word choice. “I also believe that we have a responsibility to call this what I believe it is,” he said.

He pointed to the Quinnipiac poll published in August in which half of Americans defined Israel’s actions as a genocide and noted that it will likely be officially declared as such by the International Court of Justice. “The institutional Jewish community in this country has not grappled with that reality.”

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