Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stumbled through a Monday CNN interview in which she was asked to explain how Israel should respond to Hamas’ recent attacks.
CNN anchor Abby Phillip pressed Ocasio-Cortez on the recent letter she co-signed along with other left-wing democrats, which called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Phillip asked Ocasio-Cortez how Israel should respond to the recent attacks from Hamas. (RELATED: Dem Reps Unveil Resolution Calling For Ceasefire In Gaza Following Deadly Terrorist Attacks Against Israel)
“What is Israel supposed to do about Hamas after they murdered, brutalized, abducted over a thousand of their citizens? Are they supposed to just do nothing?” Phillip asked.
Ocasio-Cortez claimed that a ceasefire agreement would mean both parties put down their arms. She noted that Hamas has sent thousands of rockets into Israel’s territory as well.
“What is important is for us to identify our goal in terms of what safety means, in terms of what defense means,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spends almost three minutes trying to explain her calls for a “ceasefire” after Hamas terrorists brutally massacred innocent Israelis and it does not go well pic.twitter.com/qkQ30jSIuG
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 17, 2023
Phillip pressed her again on whether she believed Israel should forcefully respond to Hamas’ brutal attack and mass abduction of their citizens.
“I think the position from Israel’s perspective is that there was already an attack, and Hamas already committed that attack,” Phillip interjected, “After that happened, do you really believe that they should not respond to that?”
Ocasio-Cortez responded that she believes Israel has a right to self-defense, but said the country was committing acts of “collective punishment” through the “blockade on water, food, electricity” and using “indiscriminate weapons” such as white phosphorous. The congresswoman suggested that there needs to be a “discussion” on whether these acts count as self-defense.
“We should identify what our goal is, which is the cooling of tensions in the region,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Israel’s goal is to rid the region of Hamas. They’ve been very clear about that,” Phillip retorted.
“For Israel to deal with Hamas, which is a force that is actually detrimental to Palestinians, how else are they supposed to address a violent, militant, some say terrorist group, other than to go in there and take them on directly?” Phillip pressed.
The congresswoman pointed out that President Biden already warned Israel against performing a ground invasion into Gaza. She conceded that the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas is “an inherently complex situation.”
“I do believe that Hamas needs to be dealt with,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“But ‘how?’ I think is what I’m trying to understand,” Phillip interjected
Ocasio-Cortez failed to provide an alternative approach to how Israel should respond to the Hamas attack and continued criticizing their attack on Gaza. The congresswoman looked visibly flustered as she struggled to find an answer to Phillip’s question.
“And I think, what we’re trying to figure out right now is that this present situation of collective punishment and indiscriminate attack, is one approach and we are seeing the issues and the complications with that approach now. Can we target them in terms of intelligence? Is there precision? What are the options available, are entirely up to the administration and for Israel to examine and explore,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Terror organization Hamas, operating out of the Gaza Strip, launched a multi-faceted terror attack on Israel last week. The incursion of Hamas militants into southern Israel resulted in the death of over 1,000 Israeli civilians and the abduction of roughly 150 Israeli citizens into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally declared war on Hamas in the hours following the terror attack.
On Monday, Ocasio-Cortez, along with other left-wing Democratic lawmakers, co-signed a letter calling for Israel to enter a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Ocasio-Cortez has long been a critic of the Israeli state, accusing them of “apartheid” in 2021. Left-wing criticism of Israel has grown more vocal in recent days, as pro-Palestine protests have swept the nation and calls for Israel to stop firing into Gaza become louder.