Massachusetts Democrats and other liberals who have criticized Israel are now getting blowback after calling for a cease-fire following Hamas’s terrorist attacks that left more than 1,000 people, including Americans, dead or captured.
U.S. Sen. Edward Markey got loudly booed at a rally in support of Israel on Monday after suggesting de-escalation in the Middle East was the right response to Hamas’ vicious surprise assault.
Markey is urging the White House to encourage peace talks between Israel and Hamas – which appears ridiculous given Israel’s declaration of war.
Markey’s Democratic colleague, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) strongly rebutted Markey while speaking directly after the senior senator at the rally.
“De-escalation is not possible when they are taking hostages,” Auchincloss said to cheers as Markey stood by awkwardly clapping.
Members of the leftist “Squad” and other critics of Israel are also being forced to condemn Hamas after the terrorist group launched its deadly attack, which some are comparing to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) – who skipped the Israel rally – called for a de-escalation of violence in the Middle East while terming the attacks on Israelis as “deeply alarming.”
“It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence and trauma and work toward a just and lasting peace in the region,” Pressley said.
That seems naive and highly unlikely now given that Israel has declared war on Hamas and is defending itself against the terrorist group’s assault.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who has been the strongest critic of Israel, decried the “horrific” acts of violence against the Israeli state but also called for a cease-fire in the Middle East.
“I will keep advocating for peace and justice throughout the Middle East,” Omar said.
The leader of the Squad, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also called for an immediate cease fire while condemning Hamas’s attack “in the strongest possible terms.” But she also said the attack “will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region” – referring to Israel.
Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu spoke at a solidarity rally for Israel on Monday, and Wu ordered that City Hall be lit up in Israel’s blue and white colors tomorrow as some other cities like New York have done. City Council President Ed Flynn also said Israel “has the right to defend itself” against the attacks.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the Hamas assault “nothing more than a cowardly action by a terrorist organization seeking to undo that peace and divide us into factions. That won’t happen.”
Other lawmakers have come out strongly for Israel and even backed the country’s declaration of war against Hamas.
Auchincloss compared Hamas’s attack to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and 9-11 and cast doubt on other lawmakers’ calls for peace.
“Peace is the ultimate objective, but peace is not possible when terrorists take hostages,” he said.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) also backed Israel’s “right to defend itself.”
The new war in the Middle East has also thrown a wrench into President Biden’s hopes for peace and became a hot issue in the 2024 White House race.
Several GOP contenders blamed the Biden administration for recently transferring $6 billion to Iran – which has backed Hamas militarily – as part of a prisoner exchange.
“American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks,” former President Donald Trump said. “This would have never happened with me (as president).”
