Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) praised socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for his reaction to Israel’s initial decision to bar Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) from entering the country in a pair of tweets Thursday night.
Sanders appeared on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 Thursday evening and reacted to the fallout over Israel’s decision to bar Reps. Omar and Tlaib from entering the country due to their support of the BDS movement. He took issue with the decision and floated withholding aid to the U.S. ally for rejecting the openly anti-Israel lawmakers.
“You have two members of the United States Congress who are denied access to a country, Israel, which we spend many billions of dollars a year supporting,” Sanders said.
“And if Mr. Netanyahu and others in Israel don’t want members of the U.S. Congress to visit them, maybe they don’t want American money as well,” he added.
“Squad” ringleader Ocasio-Cortez praised Sanders’ take, lauding him for the “enormous political courage he consistently wields on behalf of others.”
“One thing that is completely undeniable about Bernie Sanders is the enormous political courage he consistently wields on behalf of others. This statement is a big deal,” she wrote, alongside a clip of Sanders’ interview.
“He’s not just standing up for two members – he’s standing for the integrity of the entire US Congress,” she continued.
“Folks may want to read extra deep into this, but I say this simply to acknowledge the courage it takes to make a statement like this,” she continued, noting how “lucky” the Democrats are to have “leadership” from people like Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Julián Castro (D):
Folks may want to read extra deep into this, but I say this simply to acknowledge the courage it takes to make a statement like this.
From Warren to Castro to Bernie & others, we are lucky to have the leadership bench we have right now. We should praise all their great moments!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 16, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez initially reacted to Israel’s decision with a tweet that read, “Trump is exporting his bigotry &making matters worse.”
MoC are frequently asked to visit Israel to “see things for ourselves.”
But Netanyahu choosing to ban the only 2 Muslim women in Congress from entering tells the US that only *some* Americans are welcome to Israel, not all.
Trump is exporting his bigotry &making matters worse. https://t.co/PFdMDxuIfJ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 15, 2019
She followed up in another tweet, vowing to refrain from scheduling future trips to Israel until the situation is rectified.
Netanyahu’s discriminatory decision to ban members of Congress from Israel harms int’l diplomacy.
Visiting Israel & Palestine are key experiences towards a path to peace.
Sadly, I cannot move forward w scheduling any visits to Israel until all members of Congress are allowed. https://t.co/WTP5vnt5IH
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 15, 2019
Israel reversed its decision on Tlaib following a letter in which she begged Israeli Interior Minister Ayreh Deri to allow entry in order to visit her aging grandmother. She wrote:
I would like to request admittance to Israel in order to visit my relatives, and specifically my grandmother, who is in her 90s and lives in Beit Ur al-Fouqa. This could be my last opportunity to see her. I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit
Deri reversed the ban based on her letter, but Tlaib canceled her trip, citing Israel’s “oppressive conditions”:
Silencing me & treating me like a criminal is not what she wants for me. It would kill a piece of me. I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in–fighting against racism, oppression & injustice. https://t.co/z5t5j3qk4H
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 16, 2019
Deri responded, writing, “Her [Tlaib’s] hatred for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother.”
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