Radical Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has accused the United States of committing “human rights violations” in Hamas-controlled Gaza, labeling it as “gross.”
During a tele-town hall on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez criticized the Biden administration for alleged human rights abuses, claiming that sending military aid to Israel in its efforts against the Hamas terrorist group constitutes such violations.
Addressing questions on the Middle Eastern conflict, AOC responded to a constituent asking if the U.S. should “just defund Israel and send funding and aid to Gaza.” She urged anti-Israel activists to continue pressuring Democratic lawmakers to support a “ceasefire.”
AOC voiced her support for the pro-Hamas sentiment, even as increased tensions around the issue have resulted in instances of vandalism and threatening behavior across the country.
“Forces that are recipients of U.S. military aid cannot be engaging in gross human rights violations,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“And if they are engaged in gross human rights violations, then that aid must be either pulled, reconsidered, conditioned, etc.”
The Leahy law stops the government “from using funds for assistance to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights,” according to the U.S. State Department.
“What we are witnessing is the gross violation of human rights in Gaza, and that is being done with U.S. military assistance,” AOC said.
“I don’t think that the American people want to see our public resources going to finance gross human rights violations.”
During another segment, a caller inquired about actions Americans supporting a “ceasefire” could take to maintain pressure on lawmakers.
“I want to also be clear about how powerful that is, constituent engagement,” AOC replied.
She noted that the increasing volume of calls and messages from pro-Hamas activists to pro-Israel Democrats was garnering support for a proposed “ceasefire.”
“These are not just progressives,” she said.
“We have seen representatives from swing seats, that just barely won their seats, are now starting to come out in favor of a cease-fire.
“So all of this activism is making this a politically tenable and a politically normalized position.
“So I want to encourage individuals who are, you know, making that call or perhaps if you haven’t made that call yet, to please do so.”
Yet, when activism extends beyond phone calls, it has raised security concerns. Earlier this month, Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY), who is Jewish, witnessed his Brooklyn office being vandalized with anti-Semitic messages. Additionally, a demonstration outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters escalated to the point where a Democratic lawmaker inside compared it to the violent protest at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The Democrat openly admitted that the leftist anti-Israel protest “scared me more than January 6.”
