Members of the House “Squad” are doubling down on their calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, despite pushback from their party’s establishment.
Facing accusations of antisemitism, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Cori Bush (D-MO) joined the Jewish “Rabbis for Ceasefire” group at a rally in Washington, D.C. They all delivered remarks, praising the group and decrying the war in Gaza.
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“The loss of life we have seen in a mere five weeks is overwhelming, devastating, incomprehensible,” Pressley said. “Entire generations of Palestinian families erased, entirely. Again, Vengeance is not a foreign policy doctrine.”
“There is no justification for the collective punishment of the Palestinian people from their elders to their babies,” she continued. “As people of faith, we believe that we are all God’s children — Palestinian, Israeli, American alike. Regardless of our religion, or nation of birth, we are one human family and we have a moral obligation to be our brothers’ and our sisters’ keeper — a collective righteous mandate to save lives, and the mandate is clear — ceasefire now.”
We’ve now lost over 11,000 Palestinian and 1,200 Israeli loved ones.
I stood with a coalition of rabbis to make it plain:
We are one human family, and we have a collective, righteous mandate to save lives. #CeasefireNOW. pic.twitter.com/TFLOVPYyMk
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) November 14, 2023
Bowman bemoaned the fact that he hadn’t been able to visit any Synagogues since his calls for a ceasefire. Twenty six rabbis wrote a letter denouncing him.
Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman: “In my district, 26 rabbis wrote a letter against me calling for a ceasefire and I haven’t been able to stand with them or visit any synagogues” pic.twitter.com/BAPjEjcg6b
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 14, 2023
Omar questioned the merits of faith leaders who weren’t calling for a ceasefire, arguing that all should be seeking an end to the war.
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Ocasio-Cortez cited her upbringing with Jewish friends as having a major impact on her and argued that calling for a ceasefire was in line with Jewish values.
Grateful to have joined Rabbis for Ceasefire tonight.
Ceasefire means release the hostages.
Ceasefire means stop the bombardment.
Ceasefire means defend the innocent.
Ceasefire means transcend cycles of violence.
Ceasefire is not just an option. It is our only way out of this. pic.twitter.com/8onOHvSUij— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) November 14, 2023
Bush decried being labeled “anti-Israel” and “antisemitic,” saying that she was bound by her faith to call for a ceasefire.