Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) lost the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America Wednesday, The New York Times reported. The group has removed its support after she agreed to fight anti-Semitism.
The war between Hamas and Israel has shaken up the left as anything but total allegiance to the Palestinian cause has become unacceptable. The Democratic Socialists of America have now seemingly applied that standard to one of their most influential politicians.
During a panel discussion last month, Ocasio-Cortez noted that hatred towards Jews is coming as an outgrowth of some who are criticizing Israel. She did concede that some of the cries of anti-Semitism are used to silence people sympathetic to the Palestinian plight.
Still, the Democratic Socialists of America called her position a "deep betrayal" by the radical "Squad" member. On Wednesday, the organization released a statement that included a list of grievances against Ocasio-Cortez to justify abandoning her.
The statement from the Democratic Socialists of America outlines their problems with Ocasio-Cortez. The statement recounted how it ratified its demands from the New York Democrat on June 23 that she would have to adhere to in exchange for an endorsement.
She was supposed to demonstrate that she "opposes all funding to Israel, including the Iron Dome" and "criminalization of Anti-Zionism." Ocasio-Cortez was also asked to show she "supports BDS (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction) to end Israeli settler-colonialism."
Unfortunately, she did not do these things to their satisfaction. While they acknowledge she wasn't all wrong, the organization said its "members have raised their concerns regarding a number of her votes...conflating opposition to Israel’s 'right to exist' with anti-Semitism," the statement said.
"AOC also co-signed a press release on April 20, 2024, that 'support[s] strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems,'" the statement went on. "Finally, AOC recently hosted a public panel with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, lobbyists for the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism," the Democratic Socialists of America added.
"On this panel, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism were conflated, and boycotting Zionist institutions was condemned. 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 organization complained.
Radicals like Ocasio-Cortez find themselves in a difficult dilemma in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. It's a no-win situation as they must at least pay lip service to the idea that Israel has a right to defend itself from attacks to keep their Jewish supporters happy.
However, they must also favor a cease-fire with Hamas despite the fact that Israel was the victim and the terrorists the aggressor. This losing proposition has led to shocking moves such as the one the Democratic Socialists of America made.
Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez is trying to balance her radical roots with the centrist positions needed to help reelect President Joe Biden. This has led to a very bizarre scene as radical leftist protesters showed up to heckle one of their own.
Last month in the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez was met by pro-Palestinian protesters who were incensed at her support for Biden. They repeated, "You're a fraud, A.O.C.," while she rallied with the king of all American socialists, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT).
The political world has become a strange place because of the war between Hamas and Israel. Leftists have staked out an anti-Israel position as the test of orthodoxy among Democrats, and that has caused them to turn against even the most far-left politicians who dare to stray from it.
