Ocasio-Cortez hits Yang over scrapped Eid event: ‘Utterly shameful’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday criticized New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang (D) for initially scheduling a campaign event around the Muslim celebration of Eid after tweeting a message in support of Israel amid ongoing violence in the Middle Eastern country. 

In his initial tweet Monday evening, Yang wrote he was “standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists.”

“The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere,” he wrote. 

On Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez, who has largely remained silent on Democrats vying for the New York City mayor’s office, responded to video of Yang saying that organizers of a grocery distribution event in the Queens neighborhood of Astoria ahead of Eid asked the former Democratic presidential candidate not to attend. 

“Utterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to an Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children, especially after his silence as Al-Aqsa was attacked,” the congresswoman wrote. 

“But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know,” she added. 

Utterly shameful for Yang to try to show up to an Eid event after sending out a chest-thumping statement of support for a strike killing 9 children, especially after his silence as Al-Aqsa was attacked.

But then to try that in Astoria? During Ramadan?! They will let you know. https://t.co/r721mHyfri

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 11, 2021

Eid al-Fitr, which is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan, begins Wednesday evening and lasts through Thursday night. 

During a Tuesday press conference, Yang told reports that organizers of the event that he was initially scheduled to participate in “decided it would be better if we did not attend, and we were happy to oblige by their wishes.” 

When asked by a reporter if the request was in response to his Israel tweet, Yang responded, “I believe so.” 

.@AndrewYang’s public schedule today previously included a stop to distribute groceries in Astoria ahead of Eid, but it was removed. He said organizers asked him not to come. pic.twitter.com/cHsSvGGHUP

— Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) May 11, 2021

The Hill has reached out to Yang’s campaign for comment. 

Yang’s tweet in support of Israel comes as dozens of Palestinians and at least two Israelis have been killed in recent days amid ongoing back-and-forth airstrikes between Israel and Hamas that escalated Tuesday with rockets launched over Tel Aviv by the group, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. 

Many Democrats and pro-Palestinian social media users condemned Yang for his Monday tweet, and the hashtag #YangSupportsGenocide began to circulate on Twitter. 

Progressives amid the ongoing violence have been vocally sympathetic to Palestinians, accusing Israel of human rights abuses, especially in Israeli-occupied territories. 

On Monday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) told MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin that Israel was maintaining “an apartheid system” over the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, conservatives, who have traditionally maintained a pro-Israel stance, came to Yang’s defense on Monday, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who tweeted, “Bravo to Yang for opposing the rabidly pro-Hamas & anti-Israel attacks from fellow Dems [Rep. Ilhan] Omar [(D-Minn.)] & Tlaib.” 

Bravo to Yang for opposing the rabidly pro-Hamas & anti-Israel attacks from fellow Dems Omar & Tlaib. https://t.co/E12UQ1HY8F

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 11, 2021

However, Yang pushed back on the praise from Republicans on Tuesday, telling reporters, “I certainly would never ask for or want their support.”