White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized members of the far-left “Squad” during Tuesday’s press briefing, denouncing their comments on the war between Israel and Hamas as “wrong,” “repugnant,” and “disgraceful.” The Biden administration expressed its disappointment in the response of these Democratic Party lawmakers, who have received support from party leadership despite their controversial remarks. The comments made by Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Cori Bush regarding the recent attacks by Hamas on Israel, including the killing of children, have drawn strong condemnation.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were asked to provide their views on these comments but did not offer a direct response. Jeffries’ office did not respond to inquiries, while Schumer’s office referred to his statement condemning a pro-Hamas demonstration in Times Square. However, when pressed to address the “Squad’s” statements directly, Schumer’s office did not provide another response.
In their statements, Tlaib and Bush called for an end to U.S. assistance to Israel, citing the ongoing violence and loss of lives. Ocasio-Cortez and Omar called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. These remarks sparked backlash, with Ocasio-Cortez also condemning the bigotry expressed at the Times Square demonstration.
Omar faced criticism for seemingly equating the victims killed by Hamas with Palestinians killed in the Israeli response. Tlaib, on the other hand, avoided questions about the brutal acts committed by Hamas militants, emphasizing that she does not support targeting and killing civilians in either Israel or Palestine.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated the administration’s stance during the press briefing, condemning the “Squad’s” comments as “wrong,” “repugnant,” and “disgraceful.” She emphasized that the condemnation belongs to the terrorists who have carried out brutal acts against Israelis. Jean-Pierre made it clear that there are not two sides to this conflict.
Attempts to reach Omar, Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez, and Bush for comment on the White House’s condemnation of their responses were unsuccessful.
Overall, the Biden administration’s criticism of the “Squad’s” comments reflects a division within the Democratic Party regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. The controversy highlights the complexity of the situation and the challenges faced by policymakers in addressing the ongoing violence in the region.
