Portrait of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Gaza conflict

Calls for Arms Embargo (strong)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expresses deep concern and strong condemnation regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza, labeling the campaign an "unfolding genocide" in a House speech. She argues that the famine in Gaza is being intentionally caused by blocking humanitarian assistance, much of which is facilitated by U.S. resources and weapons.

Ocasio-Cortez has made clear that she believes the scale of civilian death, including over 30,000 Palestinians, necessitates a change in U.S. policy. She explicitly advocates for the suspension of offensive weapons transfers to Israel, stating it is against U.S. law to provide arms to a force blocking humanitarian aid.

Her position is rooted in a broader critique of the imbalance of power and continuous human rights violations against Palestinians, which she argues the U.S. has long overlooked. She emphasizes that the conflict must be resolved diplomatically, calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and adherence to U.S. humanitarian law by the Biden Administration.

Context

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sits on the progressive flank of the Democratic Party, often aligning with members like Rashida Tlaib on foreign policy issues concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict. Her role as a prominent progressive voice means her strong criticisms of U.S. policy and the Israeli government's actions often draw outsized national attention.

Her stance on the conflict is connected to her wider commitment to opposing U.S. military interventionism and ensuring American foreign aid aligns with stated democratic and human rights values, linking it to her domestic focus on social justice and the rights of marginalized groups.

Timeline

  1. Ocasio-Cortez expressed concern over escalating tensions, questioning if Palestinians have a right to survive and stating the U.S. must acknowledge its role in human rights violations.
  2. Following the October 7th attacks, she condemned the violence by Hamas in the strongest possible terms but simultaneously called for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation to save lives.
  3. She declined to formally accuse Israel of genocide but stated that the term is appropriate in public discourse given the scope of the crisis, referencing the ICJ's order.
  4. Ocasio-Cortez escalated her rhetoric, explicitly calling the Israeli military operation in Gaza an "unfolding genocide" and demanding a halt to U.S. weapon transfers.
  5. She voted against an amendment to strip military aid, justifying it by stating the amendment would cut defensive Iron Dome capacities, despite broad calls from the left to end all arms shipments.

Actions Taken

  1. Speech
    Called the Israeli military campaign in Gaza an "unfolding genocide" in a House speech and demanded the White House suspend aid to the Israeli armed forces.
  2. Legislation
    Cosponsored the "Block the Bombs Act," which aims to stop the U.S. from providing Israel with multiple offensive weapons.
  3. Political Action
    Boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 2024 speech to Congress, calling him a war criminal.

Key Quotes

As we speak, in this moment, 1.1 million innocents in Gaza are at famine's door... A famine … is being intentionally precipitated through the blocking of food and global humanitarian assistance by leaders in the Israeli government. This is a mass starvation of people, engineered and orchestrated.

This was all accomplished – much of this was accomplished – with US resources and weapons. If you want to know what an unfolding genocide looks like, open your eyes.

I condemn Hamas' attack in the strongest possible terms. No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region. An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives.

Related Positions

  • Conditioning Aid/Leahy Law Enforcement Ocasio-Cortez calls for upholding U.S. humanitarian law and enforcing provisions that prohibit sending weapons to forces that violate those laws, referencing the Leahy Law.
  • Two-State Solution Support Her position is framed within her stated support for a two-state solution and opposition to the occupation of the West Bank.

Criticism

World Socialist Web Site (WSWS)

WSWS accused her of becoming a reliable defender of the establishment, noting her 2025 vote against cutting Iron Dome funding as walking back opposition to the 'genocide in Gaza' and claiming there is no meaningful distinction between offensive and defensive weaponry in this context.

Progressive Allies/DSA

She faced significant criticism from the left for abruptly changing her vote to 'present' on an Iron Dome funding bill in 2021 and for her 2025 vote against cutting defensive aid funding.