Staff Reports
The Democratic party’s “Squad” is at it again, stubbornly sticking to their guns in the face of resistance from their own party’s leaders. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Cori Bush are all standing united, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, despite being accused of anti-Semitism and facing pushback from their party’s establishment.
Their latest move? Joining forces with the Jewish “Rabbis for Ceasefire” group at a rally in Washington, D.C. to make their voices heard. They each took the stage to express their support for the group and condemn the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Pressley lamented the loss of life and emphasized that “vengeance is not a foreign policy doctrine.” She passionately argued for a ceasefire, stressing that as people of faith, they have a moral obligation to save lives.
We’ve now lost over 11,000 Palestinian and 1,200 Israeli loved ones.
I stood with a coalition of rabbis to make it plain:
We are one human family, and we have a collective, righteous mandate to save lives. #CeasefireNOW. pic.twitter.com/TFLOVPYyMk
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) November 14, 2023
Bowman, on the other hand, expressed frustration at the fact that 26 rabbis in his district had denounced him for his calls for a ceasefire, preventing him from visiting any synagogues. Meanwhile, Omar called out faith leaders who weren’t advocating for a ceasefire, questioning their commitment to ending the war. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted her personal connection with Jewish friends and asserted that calling for a ceasefire was in line with Jewish values. And Bush, vehemently rejecting the labels of “anti-Israel” and “anti-Semitic,” stated that her faith compelled her to call for a ceasefire.
It’s clear that the “Squad” is unyielding in their demands for a ceasefire, even in the face of internal party turmoil and accusations of anti-Semitism. Will they be able to sway the party’s stance on the Gaza conflict, or will their efforts be in vain? Only time will tell.
