Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) clashed over the latter’s “shameful” comment on Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Moskowitz has emerged as a prominent defender of Israel and has criticized many on the Left over their response to the war in Gaza. On Wednesday, he criticized Sanders for allegedly not properly condemning antisemitism, a remark that drew the ire of Ocasio-Cortez.
“Sen. Sanders’ family was killed in the Holocaust,” she wrote in response to Moskowitz. “He dedicates his 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 shameful.”
“Tikkun olam” is Hebrew for “repairing the world.”
Responding to Ocasio-Cortez, Moskowitz said his family was also killed in the Holocaust and that it would be better if they settled their differences in person.
“My family was also killed in the Holocaust,” he said in response to her condemnation. “In Germany and in Poland. My grandmother was in the kinder-transport. They also instilled values in me. It’s why I voted for aid to Israel and for aid to Gaza. We see each other at work, we are both better than doing this here.”
“Is that what this is?” Ocasio-Cortez responded alongside a screenshot of Moskowitz having liked comedian Michael Rapaport’s post reading, “What’s the Hebrew translation for F*** Off Lady?” He appears to have since unliked the post.
Moskowitz’s comment that triggered the exchange was him quoting a statement from Sanders condemning the failure to adopt Sanders’s amendment preventing the issuance of “offensive” military aid to Israel.
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“It is a dark day for democracy when the Senate will not even allow a vote on whether U.S. taxpayer dollars should fund Netanyahu’s war against the Palestinian people,” Sanders said.
The exchange exposes the growing divide within the Democratic Party in Congress over Israel and the war in Gaza. While more Democrats have begun to criticize Israel, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), progressives such as Ocasio-Cortez believe it’s not enough.
