Footage from 2021 resurfaced, which showed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez visibly upset after Congress had voted to fund the Iron Dome defense system, which was put to use as Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel.
Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel in what it described as a retaliatory attack against the Jewish state over a deadly strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria. However, nearly all of the threats were neutralized thanks to Israeli air defense systems.
Within the United States, there is substantial polarization between pro-Israel and anti-Israel sentiment, the latter perhaps best demonstrated by the progressive House leaders in “The Squad.” This far-left coalition of congressmen and congresswomen features names such as AOC, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
Conservatives and those supporting Israel have used the footage of AOC crying to exemplify the palpable anti-Israel sentiment that exists within progressive American politics. Avi Kaner posted the clip on X with the caption, “Congresswoman @AOC cried in 2021 when Congress voted to fund the Iron Dome system that saved countless lives tonight.”
Following the Iron Dome vote that left her in tears, Ocasio-Cortez released a statement on the measure’s passage. AOC claimed, “I believe strongly that Congress should take greater scrutiny with all military funding across the world,” she wrote, continuing that “for far too long, the U.S. has handed unconditional aid to the Israeli government.”
However, the congresswoman chose to vote “present” instead of voting for or against the bill. “To those I have disappointed — I am deeply sorry,” she added. “To those who believe this reasoning is insufficient or cowardice — I understand.” She further lamented how the bill was allegedly “rushed” to a vote that prevented proper scrutiny of the bill.
“In addition to opposing the substance of the Iron Dome supplemental bill, the process of bringing it to the House floor was deeply unjust,” she continued in her statement. “A funding leap this significant in a policy area that is already so charged and fraught for many communities, particularly our own, deserves the respect of a proper legislative process,” she wrote. Watch AOC on the House floor below:
AOC also argued that the passage of the bill would hinder human rights initiatives and dignity around the world. “It became clear that this vote would risk a severe devolution of the good faith community fabric that allows us to responsibly join in a struggle for human rights and dignity everywhere,” she said, “from Palestine to The Bronx and Queens.”
“Yes, I wept,” she said, addressing her emotional state after the vote passed. “I wept at the complete lack of care for the human beings that are impacted by these decisions, I wept at an institution choosing a path of maximum volatility and minimum consideration for its own political convenience. And I wept at the complete lack of regard I often feel our party has to its most vulnerable and endangered members and communities — because the death threats and dangerous vitriol we’d inevitably receive by rushing such a sensitive, charged, and under-considered vote weren’t worth delaying it for even a few hours to help us do the work necessary to open a conversation of understanding.”
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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