Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent shockwaves throughout the political establishment when she won a New York House Democratic primary against a long-time incumbent back in June. With this wave came a new hope that has made many from the left, critical of the Democratic Party, wonder if we can actually see some genuine leftist policies come into fruition soon. However, many have expressed doubt of this hope when Ocasio-Cortez recently expressed skepticism about her stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Prior to being elected, Ocasio-Cortez has been a vocal proponent of Palestinian liberation. In fact, the Democratic Socialists of America, to which she is a member of, continues to endorse the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Ocasio-Cortez's immense pressure from the pro-Israel lobby comes at a time when Israel just doubled down on its apartheid-like behaviors. This month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spearheaded a controversial bill in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) that effectively declared that only Jewish people "have an exclusive right to national self-determination" in Israel. Moreover, that same bill made Arabic a "special status" language, a downgrade from an official language along with Hebrew. This is not to mention another new bill in the works that would effectively outlaw surrogacy for Israeli gay men.
With these "Handmaid's Tale"-like policies mean that it is now or never for progressive candidates to embrace Palestinian liberation and resistance against Israeli aggression.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and many other progressives running for office have an opportunity to craft the change we all desire to see. Whether it be abolishing ICE, shamelessly crying "Black lives matter," or fighting like hell for the US citizens of Puerto Rico, Ocasio-Cortez has continued to hold onto her beliefs that were once considered too obscene for modern politics. She has been a gladiator for these views, and she shouldn't stop when it comes to standing with Palestine.
For far too long, the United States has been complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Israel.
Since its creation in 1948, Israel has completely invalidated the Palestinian right to return to their native lands, and so far since March of this year have murdered almost 150 Palestinians in cold blood. We are passionate about human rights here at home, and rightfully so. But as Nelson Mandela has famously said in his crusade against apartheid South Africa: "We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians."
So if you politically identify as a progressive, a leftist, or something along the lines of this, don't give into the social stigma surrounding Palestine. Fight for human rights and against apartheid, whenever you see it. There is nothing controversial about that!
