Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has accused Israel of committing “war crimes” in retaliation against Hamas terrorists for their brutal attack on October 7.
The left-leaning New York City Democrat slammed Hamas and accused the terror group of committing its own war crimes against the Jewish state – but also argued there was an “asymmetry” between the two warring parties.
“Hamas is really involved in horrific attacks. “Every day there are more details being released about what happened on October 7 that are shocking to the human consciousness,” AOC said Sunday on MSNBC’s “The Mehdi Hasan Show.”
“However, we also know that war crimes do not constitute and are not an appropriate response to other war crimes,” he said.
Ocasio-Cortez, 34, claimed that Israel’s response was “collective punishment,” preventing sufficient food and water from reaching innocent Palestinians during a crackdown on Hamas while also launching an “indiscriminate bombing campaign,” including involving chemical agents. prohibited, in Gaza despite the sophistication and precision of modern military weapons.
New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says that while Hamas terrorists are guilty of war crimes, so is Israel.MSNBC
.@AOC said it was important to recognize “the asymmetry of what is happening, as well as the collective punishment … of the Palestinian people at this time.”
“War crimes do not constitute and are not an appropriate response to other war crimes.” pic.twitter.com/yW5JDJMNWT
— The Mehdi Hasan Show (@MehdiHasanShow) October 23, 2023
“[We are seeing] abortion and the use of white phosphorus, which are also war crimes,” the AOC said.
“It is unacceptable to think that 1,700 children are Palestinian children alone, that their deaths will somehow atone or justify the violence we saw on October 7,” he added.
The Congressman referred to reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that accused Israeli forces of releasing compounds, citing videos and other evidence.
White phosphorus is a compound that can cause extreme burns that can go to bone and is generally restricted from use by several international agreements. Israel has denied using incendiary compounds.
An injured Palestinian woman runs during Israeli airstrikes targeting her neighborhood in Gaza City on Oct. 23 AP
The progressive lover insists that it is “absolutely not a defense of Hamas” for him to also oppose Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
He also defended his call for a ceasefire, which host Mehdi Hasan said would leave Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip and therefore able to carry out further deadly attacks on Israel.
“I think in an immediate sense, we need to pause in what’s going on,” the congressman replied.
“What we see happening in Gaza is an indiscriminate bombing campaign. It crossed my mind, and I think one question we all have to ask ourselves is, what is the price of innocent lives that is acceptable in terms of targeting Hamas?”
A Palestinian child injured in Israeli bombing is taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah on Oct. 23.
About 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza over the weekend, carrying supplies of water, food and medicine.
Israel is expected to launch a ground attack on the poverty-stricken Palestinian territories soon.
Hamas held several hundred hostages during the deadly surprise attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and 31 Americans, authorities said.
Palestinians injured in Israeli bombings wait for treatment at Shifa Hospital on Oct. 23 AP
The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza estimates that more than 4,300 Palestinians have also been killed since the war broke out.
Ocasio-Cortez’s stance on the war in Israel puts her at odds with many prominent 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, disagree. It is in no way a defense of Hamas to criticize this current approach, this indiscriminate violent approach.”
Ocasio-Cortez has long been a critic of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. AFP via Getty Images
A member of the so-called “Squad,” Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive peers like Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) have backlashed their calls for a ceasefire and their criticism of Israel.
Ocasio-Cortez argues that the Palestinian voice has been largely diminished in the halls of Congress.
“I have long found the neglect and neglect of the Palestinian people in the US House of Representatives, the humanity of the Palestinian people during my five years in Congress, quite shocking. This is nothing new to most of us,” Ocasio-Cortez argued.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
