The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) announced on Wednesday that they have revoked their endorsement of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, citing her insufficient support for Palestine.
The DSA had initially endorsed Ocasio-Cortez on June 23, conditional on her meeting specific demands:
- Publicly opposing all funding to Israel, including the Iron Dome.
- Regularly participating in the DSA Federal Socialists in Office Committee.
- Publicly opposing all criminalization of anti-Zionism, such as bills advancing the IHRA definition, which conflates criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
- Publicly supporting the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement to end Israeli settler-colonialism.
The DSA memo stated, “Because we have not seen evidence of AOC meeting these conditions, and at the request of the NYC-DSA SC, the NPC is withdrawing our conditional endorsement of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, although she will remain endorsed by our New York City chapter.”
The memo acknowledged that Ocasio-Cortez had taken “many courageous positions on Palestine,” such as co-sponsoring several House Resolutions (3103, 786, 496), recognizing Israel’s actions as genocide, and opposing House Resolution 894. However, the DSA expressed concern over some of her votes, including her support for H.Res.888, which conflates opposition to Israel’s “right to exist” with anti-Semitism. Additionally, Ocasio-Cortez co-signed an April 20, 2024, press release that supported “strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems.”
The DSA further criticized Ocasio-Cortez for recently hosting a public panel with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, who lobby for the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. During this panel, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism were conflated, and boycotting Zionist institutions was condemned. The memo described this sponsorship as “a deep betrayal to all those who’ve risked their welfare to fight Israeli apartheid and genocide through political and direct action in recent months, and in decades past.”
As of early Friday morning, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had not publicly responded to the DSA’s memo.