AOC accuses Israel of committing ‘war crimes’ along with Hamas
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has accused Israel of committing “war crimes” in its retaliation against Hamas terrorists for their heinous Oct. 7 assault.
The lefty New York City Democrat denounced Hamas and accused the terror group of carrying out their own war crimes against the Jewish state — but also argued there is an “asymmetry” between the two warring sides.
“Hamas has absolutely engaged in horrific attacks. Every single day there are more details that are released about what occurred on Oct. 7 that shocks the human consciousness,” AOC said Sunday on MSNBC’s “Mehdi Hasan Show.”
“However, we do know as well that war crimes do not constitute and are not an appropriate response for other war crimes,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez, 34, claimed that Israel’s response has been “collective punishment,” preventing enough food and water from reaching innocent Palestinians during its crackdown on Hamas while also launching “an indiscriminate bombing campaign,” including involving banned chemicals, on Gaza despite the sophistication and precision of modern military weapons.
“[We are seeing] the dropping and deployment of white phosphorus, which is also a war crime,” AOC said.
“It is an unacceptable to think that 1,700 children Palestinian children alone, that their deaths will somehow make up for or justify the violence of what we saw on Oct. 7,” she added.
The congresswoman pointed to reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that accused Israeli forces of unleashing the compound, citing video and other evidence.
White phosphorous is a compound that can cause extreme burns that can go to the bone and is generally restricted from use by a number of international treaties. Israel has denied using the incendiary compound.
The progressive darling underscored that it is “absolutely not a defense of Hamas” for her to also oppose Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.
She defended her call for a ceasefire, too, which host Mehdi Hasan noted would leave Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip and therefore able to carry out further deadly attacks on Israel down the line.
“I think in the immediate sense, we have to have a pause in what is going on,” the congresswoman replied.
“What we are seeing unfold in Gaza is an indiscriminate bombing campaign. It occurs to me, and I think a question we must all ask ourselves, is what price of innocent life is acceptable in terms of targeting Hamas?”
About 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza over the weekend, transporting water, food and medical supplies.
Israel is expected to mount a ground invasion against the poverty-stricken Palestinian territory soon.
Hamas nabbed several hundred hostages during its deadly surprise attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and 31 Americans, according to authorities.
The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza has estimated that more than 4,300 Palestinians also have been killed since the war erupted.
Ocasio-Cortez’s position on the war in Israel puts her at odds with many top Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“I have great respect for Schumer, and we enjoy a very strong working relationship,” AOC said. “This is an area however, of disagreement. It’s absolutely not a defense of Hamas in order to criticize this current approach, this indiscriminate, violent approach.”
A member of the so-called “Squad,” Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive peers such as Reps. Ilhan Omar, (D-Minn.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) have stoked backlash over their calls for a cease-fire and their criticism of Israel.
Ocasio-Cortez contended that Palestinian voices have largely been diminished in the halls of Congress.
“I have long found the ignoring and sidelining of Palestinians in the US House of Representatives, the humanity of Palestinian populations in the five years that I’ve been in Congress, quite shocking. This is not something that is new to many of us,” Ocasio-Cortez argued.
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