AOC has been calling for a cease fire and more aid since last year. She might not have used the word genocide until now, but it's not like she has been cool with things up till now either.

[–] SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works 11 points 7 months ago

Honestly this whole drama is so immature.

"What Israel is doing is terrible, on top of their mistreatment of the Palestinian people for decades they've now crossed a line and seem to be willing to remove them all from existence. This is a genocide, and we should enforce a cease fire and an embargo."

"What Israel is doing is terrible, on top of their mistreatment of the Palestinian people for decades they've now crossed a line and are killing people indiscriminately. The fact that some people are calling it a genocide is telling of the immense gravity of the situation, and we should enforce a cease fire and an embargo."

"How could you NOT call it a genocide??!?!?"

Both statements are virtually the same thing, have the same worries and are calling for the same solutions, yet the later get shat on because it doesn't virtue signal. There are lots of seemingly dumb reasons why politicians and PR departments may choose to use some terms and avoid others, and some of those decisions are mere pragmatism that doesn't change in essence their goal or effect. I think AOC has flaws, just like almost any politician, but making a gigantic deal out of this smells like it's been promoted by grifters looking to start drama.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

At the beginning she was very much on the Israel side. The well known "israel has the right to defend themselves". Even back then Israel was hitting hospitals.

She only flipped recently. Faster than the pure establishment Democrats, but still a very bad look.

[–] TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social 14 points 7 months ago (3 children)

This article from back in October of '23 does not state that at all, and I never read her take the position of "Israel has the right to defend themselves", but rather the opposite.

Earlier, she called the events of the weekend “devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and Palestine” and said, “I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms.”

But she also called for an “immediate ceasefire and de-escalation".™

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 3 points 7 months ago

But it's easier to make things up without citation, so people are probably going to, in the end, believe the other guys sadly.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., condemned the “bigotry and callousness” displayed at a pro-Palestinian rally held this weekend and promoted by some of her allies.

The rally had been promoted by Democratic Socialists of America, a left-wing group that helped elect Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives, but it faced criticism from some of its own elected officials for endorsing the event, which was held even before Israel had been able to count the dead.

“It should not be hard to shut down hatred and antisemitism where we see it. That is a core tenet of solidarity,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement first shared with Politico's New York affiliate late Monday.

“The bigotry and callousness expressed in Times Square on Sunday were unacceptable and harmful in this devastating moment," the congresswoman continued. "It also did not speak for the thousands of New Yorkers who are capable of rejecting both Hamas’ horrifying attacks against innocent civilians as well as the grave injustices and violence Palestinians face under occupation.”

She calls protest marchers anti-Semitic ?

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

No, there were pro-Palastine people at the event who were being anti-Semitic and she called them out. But in the article you see that while she has called the attack by Hamas an evil act she also stated that it was brought about by Israel's treatment of Arabs in that country. She's been asking for them to not slaughter innocent Palestinians since the beginning. It's literally right there at the end of everything you quoted.

“The bigotry and callousness expressed in Times Square on Sunday were unacceptable and harmful in this devastating moment," the congresswoman continued. "It also did not speak for the thousands of New Yorkers who are capable of rejecting both Hamas’ horrifying attacks against innocent civilians as well as the grave injustices and violence Palestinians face under occupation.”