AOC Likens Palestinians to Jesus in Christmas Message, Critics Call It ‘Jew Hate’

US House of Representatives member from New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in an Instagram Stories post wishing Christmas likened Palestinians to Jesus and described Israel as a violent occupying force. Critics pointed out that the message spreaded hatred towards Jews.

The New York Democrat shared a photo of a child in rubble in the Gaza Strip and said she sends prayers for the “peace and protection of the innocent in Gaza and the occupied territories”. “In the story of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in a massacre of innocents. He was part of a targeted population being indiscriminately killed to protect an unjust leader’s power. Mary and Joseph, displaced by violence and forced to flee, became refugees in Egypt with a newborn waiting to one day return home,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, said.

She then took a jibe at the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Thousands of years later, right-wing forces are violently occupying Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for today’s Palestinians, so much so that the Christian community in Bethlehem has cancelled this year’s Christmas Eve celebrations out of both [fear for their] safety and respect,” AOC said.

“And yet, also today, holy children are still being born in a place of unspeakable violence — for every child born, of any identity and from any place, is sacred. Especially the children of Gaza. The entire story of Christmas and Christ himself is about standing with the poor and powerless, the marginalised and maligned, the refugees and immigrants, the outcast and misunderstood without exception,” she further added.

AOC was slammed by critics for not mentioning the attack by Hamas on October 7 and also for not mentioning the Israelis being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza Strip. Critics also said that AOC did not mention the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli women and children on October 7, including the instances of sexual violence.

AOC’s message also reflects that there is internal division within the Democratic Party over the war in Gaza. Democrat House member from Mississippi Bennie Thompson earlier this month told US-based news agency The Hill that he’s never seen such internal differences before within the Democrats during his career which spans over three decades.