Did AOC Just Acknowledge That Anti-Zionism is Antisemitism?

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s condemnation of a Democratic candidate for threatening “American Zionists” with imprisonment and castration has observers suggesting she’s endorsed the idea that anti-Zionism and antisemitism are cut from the same cloth — a position her progressive base has long rejected.Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday night joined fellow Democrats in denouncing Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo, who pledged to transform an immigration detention center in San Antonio into an internment camp for “American Zionists” and “a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists.” Ms. Galindo, running in Texas’s 35th Congressional District, posted the violent proposal on Instagram.Ms. Ocasio-Cortez declared on X, “This bigoted garbage and antisemitism should be nowhere near our politics.”Eagle-eyed X users noted that by labeling Ms. Galindo’s comments “antisemitic,” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez appeared to contradict the Democratic Socialist position that targeting Zionism or Zionists constitutes valid political commentary rather than bigotry. Her framing aligns with the view held by many Jewish leaders across the right and moderate left that anti-Zionism is deeply linked to anti-Jewish prejudice.That connection is embedded in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which identifies denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination as a potentially antisemitic act. The IHRA framework is the most widely adopted of its kind globally and has been recognized by America. “It’s nice to see AOC admit that ‘antizionism’ is just contemporary form of antisemitism,” wrote conservative author and journalist, David Harsanyi. Others suggested that the apparent reversal reflects just how bad antisemitism in politics has become. “When even AOC must finally admit that ‘anti-Zionism’ is antisemitism, quipped a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Richard Goldberg. Others were less welcoming. “Glad you’re condemning this but you’ve played a huge role in making ‘Zionists’ such a dirty word,” replied an Emmy-award winning producer and columnist, Daniella Greenbaum Davis. “When you dehumanize people to that extent, the natural result is going to be statements (and eventually actions) like these. Take some responsibility.” On the anti-Israel left, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez drew fire for being too pro-Israel. “Lol. AOC supporting zionism,” podcast host and progressive commentator, Esha Krishnaswamy, wrote. Socialist influencer and MMA fighter, Nick Cruse, suggested that “AOC is offended on behalf of Zionists because she is one.” He proclaimed her prospective 2028 presidential campaign “is dead on arrival.” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s statement diverges from her prior insistence that anti-zionism and antisemitism are distinct. In December 2023 she voted against a resolution stating that “anti-Zionism is antisemitism” and in 2024 she stated that “criticism of Zionism is not automatically antisemitic.” The New York representative was not the only Democrat whose statement appeared to clash with past positions. Progressive politician and former New York City Comptroller, Brad Lander, similarly drew scrutiny after calling Ms. Galindo’s remarks “truly disgusting” and “antisemitic.”Pro-Israel commentator Tali Goldsheft dismissed Mr. Lander’s condemnation as disingenuous, pointing to his longstanding friendship with a controversial anti-Israel activist, Linda Sarsour, who has been condemned by Jewish organizations for antisemitic rhetoric and has a history of using the term “Zionist” as a slur. Ms. Goldsheft referenced a 2018 statement in which Mr. Lander said he had known Ms. Sarsour “for a long time” and that her positions on Israel “don’t make her anti-Semitic” even if he might “disagree” with some of them. “You have zero credibility, zero integrity, and zero honesty,” Ms. Goldsheft added.

Did AOC Just Acknowledge That Anti-Zionism is Antisemitism?

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