Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday that it was “embarrassing” for fellow Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz (Fla.) to question Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ (I-Vt.) opposition to anti-Semitism.
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments followed Moskowitz slamming Sanders released a statement spoke out Tuesday about the Senate’s failure to take up efforts to “end unfettered offensive military assistance to Israel” for its attacks on the Palestinian people. Both Moskowitz and Sanders are Jewish.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Moskowitz on Tuesday replied to Sanders’ statement, in which he wrote: “Bernie, engage in anti-Semitism now. Why so quiet?”
Ocasio-Cortez jumped into the fray to denounce Moskowitz’s comments.
“Sen. Sanders’ family died during the Holocaust. He dedicates every moment to making tikkun olam a reality,” she told the Florida Democrat, referring to the Jewish concept of repairing the world. “His commitment to protecting innocents in Gaza stems from his Jewish values. He and many other Jewish leaders deserve better than to be treated this way. This is a shame.”
Senator Sanders’ family was killed during the Holocaust. He devotes every moment to realizing tikkun olam.
His commitment to protecting innocents in Gaza stems from his Jewish values.
He and many other Jewish leaders deserve better than to be treated this way. This is a shame. https://t.co/EHK27EF9Te
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 24, 2024
Moskowitz’s office did not immediately respond when asked for comment.
Sanders, the son of Jews who fled Poland in the 1920s to avoid anti-Semitic persecution, has long been an outspoken opponent of U.S. aid to Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I am very disappointed, but not surprised, that my amendment to end offensive military assistance to Netanyahu’s war machine – which has killed and injured more than 100,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of whom are women and children – has not been adopted. consideration will be taken,” Sanders said. in his statement after his amendment was not included in the legislature’s spending bill for Israel. The bill is part of a $95.3 billion aid package that President Joe Biden signed on Wednesday, $26 billion of which will go to Israel.
