AOC Defends New DSA Forum Pledge to Not Send Defensive Aid to Israel Anymore

Photo by: Marijan Murat/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) defended on Wednesday the pledge she made the night before at a New York City Democratic Socialists of America forum to not support any future military aid to Israel, including for defensive weaponry.

Ocasio-Cortez shared an article reporting on her pledge and added, “The Israeli government is well able to fund the Iron Dome system, which has proven critical to keep innocent civilians safe from rocket attacks and bombardment.”

“Consistent with my voting record to date, I will not support Congress sending more taxpayer dollars and military aid to a government that consistently ignores international law and U.S. law,” Ocasio-Cortez continued, adding:

Netanyahu’s allies in the Knesset just approved a $45 billion defense budget, and the Prime Minister himself also asserted his interest in withdrawing from the MOU with the United States in January. It is fully within their ability to fund Iron Dome and other defensive systems.

Our allies who need our military aid must understand that we will provide it consistent with the Leahy amendment and the foreign assistance act.

Ocasio-Cortez’s posts came as Israeli cities were under their heaviest rocket bombardment in weeks, which has left the country to ration its rocket interceptors. Both Iran and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy group in Lebanon, fired hundreds of rockets into Israel as many in the country began to celebrate the first night of Passover.

Earlier in the week, Ocasio-Cortez jabbed progressive pundit Ana Kasparian, who went after her on social media, writing, “You should vote to send Israel more money for weapons!”

“I never have. Feel free to continue lying publicly, though. Those checks don’t cash themselves, and you aren’t talented enough to be relevant with the truth,” Ocasio-Cortez hit back.

Kasparian reacted to Ocasio-Cortez’s pledge not to send defensive aid to Israel, writing, “Great. This is good!”

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