Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), on Sunday, January 28, 2024, refused to join critics who accuse Israel of genocide in its actions in Gaza. She argued that Americans should not “toss someone out of our public discourse” for doing so.
During an interview on “Meet the Press,” Ocasio-Cortez spoke about the term “genocide.” She argued that “large amounts of Americans” feel the term “genocide” applies to Israel’s actions in the Middle East. “So I don’t think it is something to completely toss someone out of our public discourse for using,” she said.
Furthermore, the New York Democrat noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “has lost public support.” Moderator Kristen Walker asked Ocasio-Cortez to respond to her colleagues accusing President Joe Biden of supporting genocide.
“Do you agree with that word, genocide, that the president’s been supporting a genocide, or does that go too far?” The New York rep said, “I think what we are seeing right now throughout the country is that young people are appalled at the violence and the indiscriminate loss of life,” she said.
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In addition, she spoke about the International Court of Justice’s order to Israel to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza. “The fact that [the ICJ] said there’s a responsibility to prevent it,” she said. “The fact that this word is even in play, the fact that this word is even in our discourse.”
“I think it demonstrates the mass inhumanity that Gazans are facing,” Ocasio-Cortez added. Like other progressives, Ocasio-Cortez has condemned Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack “in the strongest possible terms.” However, Ocasio-Cortez has been a vocal proponent of a ceasefire in Gaza.
She has condemned the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. “We are not just seeing 25,000 people that have died in Gaza,” she said. “We are seeing the starvation of millions of people, the displacement of over 2 million Gazans.”
While expressing their support for Palestinians, Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives have faced backlash. They faced criticism for comparing Israeli treatment of Palestinians to Apartheid South Africa. As a result, many accused the members of the progressive “Squad” of House members of being “too soft on Palestinian militants.”
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On the Democrats’ policy agenda and messaging, Ocasio-Cortez argued that the party “can certainly do more to advance our vision.” However, she added, “I believe we have a strong vision we can run on.” Furthermore, she praised Biden for his promise to enshrine reproductive rights in law should he remain president.
“I think we can do more?” she added. “I think we need to be talking more about healthcare.” “Of course me, as a progressive, I want to see the age of Medicare drop,” Ocasio Cortez continued. “Whether it’s to 50 [years old] as the president has discussed earlier, or to zero, as is my preference.”
Ocasio-Cortez, a vocal supporter of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, has condemned the militant group several times. In October 2023, the New York rep criticized the move after a clash broke out at a pro-Palestinian rally organized by her allies. She said, “I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms.”
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