'Repugnant, disgraceful': White House press secretary blasts 'Squad' statements on Israel

 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blasted members of the so-called "Squad" of lawmakers from the Democratic Party following their statements on the war between Israel and Hamas, Fox News reported.

During her daily press briefing on Tuesday, Jean-Pierre was asked about the administration's reaction to comments made by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO).

"I've seen some of those statements this weekend, and we're going to continue to be very clear. We believe they're wrong, we believe they're repugnant, and we believe they're disgraceful," the press secretary replied.

"Our condemnation belongs squarely with terrorists who have brutally murdered, raped, kidnapped hundreds, hundreds of Israelis. There can be no equivocation about that. There are not two sides here. There are not two sides," she added.

The comments followed statements by the progressive Democrats in which they appeared to blame Israel for Hamas’ terror attack against Israelis and called for US assistance to Israel to end

In her statement, Tlaib criticized Israel’s alleged “apartheid system” and criticized the US for providing billions in funding “to support the apartheid government”.

"I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights, and human dignity," Tlaib wrote.

"The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance. The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. We cannot ignore the humanity in each other," she continued.

"As long as our country provides billions in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue," concluded Tlaib.

Bush's statement said, "As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending US government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid."

Ocasio-Cortez and Omar both called for a "ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas. But in a social media thread on Monday, Omar seemed to equate the Israeli victims killed by Hamas terrorists on the weekend and Palestinian Arabs killed in the ongoing Israeli response.

"Just as we honor the humanity of the hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians and 9 Americans who were killed this weekend, we must honor the humanity of the innocent Palestinian civilians who have been killed and whose lives are upended," she wrote on X.

"Palestinian residents of the West Bank have scarcely better lives than Gazans — with the routine destruction of their ancestral homes, destruction of their crops, and violent attacks by Israeli settlers," wrote Omar.

"Palestinians have few recourses for justice and accountability. Attacks by the IDF and settlers against Palestinians are regularly met with impunity. Efforts to seek justice in international courts are stonewalled by the Israeli government, with US support," she added. "As the world is condemning Hamas’s attacks, we must also oppose an Israeli military response that has already taken the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including nearly two dozen children."

Members of the “The Squad” have a history of anti-Israel statements and most recently boycotted President Isaac Herzog’s speech to Congres