At DSA forum, AOC pledges not to vote for any military aid to Israel

Key Points:

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated in a private meeting with NYC Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) that she will not vote to send any military aid to Israel, including defensive weapons like the Iron Dome, marking a shift from her previous position.
• This commitment addresses concerns among some DSA members who opposed endorsing her for reelection due to her prior support for defensive aid to Israel, aligning her more closely with DSA's anti-Zionist stance and Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.
• Ocasio-Cortez also opposed enshrining the International Holocaust Remembrance Association’s definition of antisemitism into law and declined to endorse the full slate of NYC-DSA candidates, opting to consider endorsements individually.
• Despite internal disagreements, several DSA-backed officials publicly supported endorsing Ocasio-Cortez, and her new stance is expected to secure her endorsement in the upcoming NYC-DSA vote.
• Ocasio-Cortez emphasized the importance of a mutual and shared-interest relationship with DSA, contrasting it with more transactional political alliances, highlighting her ongoing connection to the socialist organization since 2018.