It's been a wild few days in the Israel-Hamas conflict. On Monday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, with the United States abstaining rather than using veto power. As Katie has covered, though, Hamas has already rejected the latest ceasefire proposal. Regarding the #CeasefireNOW crowd, the Squad has been particularly fired up, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
As of Tuesday afternoon, AOC has not posted about Monday's resolution. She has, however, posted constantly about her Sunday appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," touting her response to doubling down on accusing Israel of perpetrating a "genocide" against civilians in Gaza.
AOC posted her remarks from the House floor to her official X account on Friday. After citing President Joe Biden's words from when he was vice president about how "preventing genocide is an achievable goal," the congresswoman insisted, "Such a time is now."
"As we speak in this moment, 1.1 million innocents in Gaza are at famine's door, a famine that is being intentionally precipitated through the blocking of food and global humanitarian assistance by leaders in the Israeli government," she claimed. "This is a mass starvation of people engineered and orchestrated following the killing of another 30,000, 70 percent of whom were women and children killed," the congresswoman shared, using figures that have likely been exploited by Hamas.
AOC also addressed the United States' support for Israel through arms, which she and other anti-Israel and anti-zionist elected officials and groups have taken issue with.
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There is no world in which the forced famine of 1.1 million people cannot be considered genocide. And that is exactly what we are watching unfold in Gaza now.
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) March 22, 2024
We must enforce U.S. laws and halt weapons transfers to the Israeli government to stop an atrocity in the making. pic.twitter.com/N40Jk3yKc7
You'll recall that AOC was confronted by protesters earlier this month in New York City for not being more willing to accuse Israel of genocide, though she's nevertheless been critical of Israel and in support of the immediate ceasefires that benefit Hamas. It would seem she's now finally doing so, though.
During her appearance on "State of the Union," AOC was asked about her floor speech. As host Jake Tapper reminded her that "genocide is a word that has serious and specific connotations and allegations" and is "defined by the intent to destroy in whole or in part a national ethnic, racial or religious group," he gave her ample opportunity to clarify her remarks.
"Just to clarify here, you believe the Israeli military, the Israeli government are actively trying, they intend to destroy the Palestinian people, and not that what's happening isn't horrible, but it's happening because Israel is going after the terrorists of Hamas who attacked them on October 7 and Hamas embeds within the civilian population?" he asked her.
While AOC claimed "the threshold of intent is a high one, it is a serious one and is not one that is made lightly," she still repeated her talking points from her Friday floor speech.
The congresswoman also went on to make similar comments that Vice President Kamala Harris made earlier this month about the Israeli people. "I think it is extremely clear and it is extremely important that all people understand the difference between people and their governments, Israelis and the Israeli government, Palestinians from Hamas," AOC said.
When it comes to Palestinians versus Hamas, however, it is worth reminding that Palestinians voted Hamas in, and polls show Palestinians support Hamas and the October 7 attack on Israel.
The congresswoman then went on to speak to what she claims are Israel's motives, offering, "But what we are seeing here, I think, with a forced famine, is beyond our ability to deny or explain away," as she argued, "There is no targeting of Hamas in precipitating a mass famine of a million people, half of whom are children.
AOC had further issue with separating Palestinians from Hamas when Tapper brought up a response from Israeli officials.
According to Tapper, Israeli officials are saying, "We are allowing hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza every single day. They're trying to increase those numbers. They have to inspect the cargo to make sure no weapons are getting in, weapons that would be used by Hamas against the people of Israel." Such is a very real concern, as aid meant for Gaza civilians has been stolen by Hamas and is also being sold on the black market. Ungrateful civilians have also complained about the humanitarian aid they've received, as Matt highlighted.
"Israeli officials also argue this war could end tomorrow if Hamas freed the hostages and laid down the arms," Tapper brought up. "Do you disagree?"
CNN: "Israeli officials also argue this war could end tomorrow if Hamas freed the hostages and laid down the arms. Do you disagree?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 24, 2024
AOC: "I do disagree." pic.twitter.com/BZYncFILmw
The congresswoman yet again refused to separate Palestinians from Hamas when she claimed, "I do disagree, because, when we are talking about famine, the actions of Hamas should not be tied to whether a 3-year-old can eat," which also did not speak to the issue at hand. She did try to provide lip service of sorts when offering, "We and the Israeli government have a right to go after Hamas, but we are talking about a population of millions of innocent Palestinians," adding, "We are talking about collective punishment, which is unjustifiable."
As she claimed that Israel's concerns "do not square with" what others are saying, AOC dared to talk about the allies whom she is turning her back on. "I think that if we are to operate as allies, then we must operate in good faith to uphold the principles of democracy, which includes respect for human rights and also proving the value of our democracy, which is that we are different than authoritarians and we are different from other types of regimes with no regard for innocent people," she offered before the segment came to a close.
“I believe we have crossed the threshold of intent.”
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) March 24, 2024
On @CNNSOTU, Democratic Rep. @AOC defends her speech on the House floor saying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza constitutes a "genocide" for the first time. pic.twitter.com/nQZlbPddEt
AOC also reposted a clip shared by IfNotNow's Yonah Lieberman, a far-left, anti-Zionist group, which pointed out that the congresswoman was speaking to "AIPAC talking points." Not only is IfNotNow on the side of #CeasefireNOW but members have also been arrested for protests on the Israeli-Hamas conflict, including at the Cannon House building last October, where protests turned violent.
This wasn't the congresswoman's only recent remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict, though. As Nick Arama at our sister site of RedState addressed, AOC also got into it with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) over X.
On Sunday, following her appearance on "State of the Union," the ADL called the congresswoman out for her charges of genocide while sharing coverage from the Times of Israel. "Israel has been patently clear with its objectives: To cripple Hamas terrorists & release the hostages," the ADL mentioned in raising a basic point. The post also tagged AOC and claimed her "accusation lacks proper factual or legal foundation," as well as that her statements "merely perpetuate false claims & foster hate."
The congresswoman responded with a quoted repost, repeating her talking points, and doubling down on the genocide charge, claiming, "Starving a million innocent people to death by halting and slowing US humanitarian assistance is massive, deliberate choice." She also argued, "Not only is it irrelevant to those objectives, it brings them further out of reach and endangers hostages."
Genocide requires intent. And Israel has been patently clear with its objectives: To cripple Hamas terrorists & release the hostages. @AOC's accusation lacks proper factual or legal foundation. Such statements merely perpetuate false claims & foster hate. https://t.co/bmMrQ2nyDg
— ADL (@ADL) March 24, 2024
Starving a million innocent people to death by halting and slowing US humanitarian assistance is massive, deliberate choice.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 24, 2024
Not only is it irrelevant to those objectives, it brings them further out of reach and endangers hostages.
There is no defense for forced famine. https://t.co/WevYNNw8df
