2024-07-12 03:05:02
She’s just too nice to the Jews for them.
The national Democratic Socialists of America revoked its conditional endorsement of “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Wednesday, less than three weeks after bestowing it — citing, among other things, a panel she held on combating antisemitism.
“We recognize that AOC has taken many courageous positions on Palestine,” the DSA explained in a press release. “However, members have raised their concerns.”
The far-left group cited three purported transgressions by the 34-year-old Bronx and Queens rep: her vote last year in favor of a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist, an April statement in which she backed “strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems,” and the June 10 roundtable, held with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and titled “Antisemitism and the Fight for Democracy.”
“On this panel, she conflated anti-Zionism with antisemitism and condemned boycotting Zionist institutions,” the DSA griped.
“This sponsorship is a deep betrayal to all those who’ve risked their welfare to fight Israeli apartheid and genocide through political and direct action in recent months, and in decades past.”
The DSA’s National Political Committee voted to give the congresswoman its official stamp of approval on June 23, provided that she fulfilled certain conditions with respect to her position on Israel.
Ocasio-Cortez, who retains the endorsement of the DSA’s NYC chapter, cruised to victory in her 14th Congressional District primary two days later, all but ensuring another term in the House.
“A national DSA endorsement comes with a serious commitment to the movement for Palestine and our collective socialist project,” the statement read. “… The [National Political Committee] is committed to ensuring that all of our elected officials are unabashed in their support for Palestinian freedom. To build a socialist movement that’s capable of defeating capitalism, we must demand more from leaders in our movement.”
Back on planet Earth, Ocasio-Cortez has been among the most critical House Democrats of Israel, particularly over its handling of the war against Hamas.
Back in March, she publicly accused the Jewish state of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, heeling to pressure from numerous left-wing activists.
Last year, the New York City chapter of the DSA issued an apology after it promoted a rally in Times Square during which one protester was seen flashing a swastika. The group stressed it did not plan the event.
That rally, which Ocasio-Cortez denounced, took place days after the bloody Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel, which killed an estimated 1,200 people, including 33 Americans.
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D–Mich.) also renounced his DSA membership amid the subsequent uproar.
An Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amanda Berman, the founder and executive director of Zioness, a coalition of “unabashedly progressive” activists who are “unapologetically Zionist,” ripped into the DSA Thursday.
“The DSA’s decision to rescind its endorsement of Rep. AOC for the crime of engaging in dialogue on the topic of antisemitism is yet another moment of transparent, unapologetic anti-Jewish animus pervading the organization,” Berman said in a statement.
“DSA [has] now proven that it is not only foundationally antisemitic internally, but that it is committed to actively punishing any members who dare converse with Jews on the nature and threat of antisemitism in our movements.”
