GOP Congressman Calls ‘The Squad’ the ‘Hamas Caucus’ on Fox News
On Monday, three House Republicans introduced a censure resolution targeting four members of “The Squad” for highly critical comments they’ve made about Israel. Reps. Mike Waltz, Jim Banks, and Claudia Tenney announced the resolution in a press release in which they refer to members of the “The Squad” as the “Hamas Caucus.”
Later in the day, Waltz went on Fox News and doubled down on the term, when speaking about Democratic Reps. Ihlan Omar, Rashida Tlaib (who is a Palestinian American), Ayanna Pressley, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, all whom the resolution’s sponsors say have made censure-worthy criticisms of Israel.
“Well, we’re censuring her and The Squad,” said Waltz, “We renamed them the ‘Hamas Caucus’ because this isn’t just a one off. This is a series of statements.”
“The bottom line is, to equate the United States, Israel with the Taliban and Hamas in ‘atrocities’ is personally offensive to me.”
Omar set off an uproar with a tweet last week by referencing “unthinkable atrocities” by the United States, Hamas, Israel, and the Taliban.
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
In response, House Democratic leaders issued a statement rebuking Omar. In turn, Ocasio-Cortez hit the leadership, saying their statement “adds legitimacy to a lot of this kind of right wing vitriol.”
After Waltz said he’s heard from many Jewish Americans who think their rhetoric contributes to anti-Semitic attacks, Fox host Sandra Smith asked him, “Do you fear that you could be labeled the same for calling them the Hamas Caucus?”
He replied:
Well I think they’ve shown time and time again, they are willing to stand and really turn a blind eye to what these groups are doing. Let’s remind everyone that Hamas is not only launching rockets into cities with the intent to kill civilians, but they are doing so hiding behind women and children, schools, hospitals, and other public buildings.
Watch above via Fox News.
