US: On Sunday, the Democratic Representative from New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refrained from categorizing Israels actions in Gaza as genocide but stressed that American society should not “toss someone out of our public discourse” for doing so. She addressed the International Court of Justices directive to Israel to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, recognizing that a considerable number of Americans perceive it as genocide.During an appearance on Meet the Press, Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the mass inhumanity experienced by Gazans, evident in the ongoing discourse surrounding the term genocide. She said, The fact that (the ICJ) said theres a responsibility to prevent it, the fact that this word is even in play, the fact that this word is even in our discourse, I think demonstrates the mass inhumanity that Gazans are facing.She also said, Whether you are an individual that believes this is a genocide – which by the way, in our polling we are seeing large amounts of Americans concerned specifically with that word. So I dont think that it is something to completely toss someone out of our public discourse for using.Humanitarian crisis in GazaWhile unequivocally condemning Hamas October 7 attack, Ocasio-Cortez actively advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza. Beyond the death toll, she underscored the broader humanitarian crisis, highlighting not only the loss of life but also the starvation of millions and the displacement of over 2 million Gazans. She said, We are not just seeing 25,000 people that have died in Gaza...We are seeing the starvation of millions of people, the displacement of over 2 million Gazans.AOC responds to Rashida TlaibMeanwhile, Congress allies like Rashida Tlaib argue that Joe Biden supports genocide in Gaza. Responding to the allegation, AOC said, “I think what we are seeing right now throughout the country is that young people are appalled at the violence and the indiscriminate loss of life.”Turning to the Democrats policy agenda, Ocasio-Cortez said that we can do more to strengthen our vision. She added, “I believe we have a strong vision that we can run on.” Emphasizing the health sector, she said, I think we need to be talking more about healthcare. Of course me, as a progressive, I want to see the age of Medicare drop – whether its to 50 as the president has discussed earlier, or to zero, as is my preference.
