Liberal Democrats including members of the so-called “Squad” are facing criticism for calling for a ceasefire in Hamas’ war on Israel and saying that Israeli “apartheid,” rather than Hamas, is responsible for the violence. The Biden administration is also facing criticism following calls for an end to violence which were later walked back. 

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Squad member who was removed from her Foreign Affairs Committee assignment earlier this year following anti-Israel statements that were denounced as antisemitic, issued a lengthy statement on X on Monday, calling Israel an “apartheid” state for its policies toward Palestinian Arabs. “We know occupation and systematic apartheid are a violation of international law and it must end,” the congresswoman said. 

“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,” she added. Ms. Omar also called for an end to “unconditional weapons sales” to the Jewish state. Before her removal from the Foreign Relations committee, Ms. Omar had referred in 2019 to the American pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC as being “all about the Benjamins, baby,” employing an antisemitic libel about Jews and money.

On Sunday, Ms. Omar’s fellow Squad member, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the first and only Palestinian-American member of Congress, also accused Israel of “apartheid” and said that Israel must change its ways in order for there to be a lasting peace. “The path to that future must include lifting the blockade [on Gaza], ending the occupation [of Palestinian territories], and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance,” she wrote. 

Ms. Tlaib, who displays a Palestinian flag outside her office, has previously come under fierce criticism for her comments on Israel and the Holocaust, which were called “grossly antisemitic and ignorant,” by Israel’s then-ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon. Ms. Tlaib’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

On Sunday, yet another Squad member, Congresswoman Cori Bush, also brought up “apartheid” and called for an end to all American aid to the Israeli military. “Our ultimate focus must be on a just and lasting peace that ensures safety for everyone in the region,” she said in a post on X. “Violations of human rights do not justify more violations of human rights, and a military response will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

“As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” she added. 

Two of the Squad members’ Democratic colleagues, as well as the Israeli ambassador to the United States, criticized their statements. “Aid to Israel is and should be unconditional, and never more so than in this moment of critical need,” Congressman Ritchie Torres told Jewish Insider. “Shame on anyone who glorifies as ‘resistance’ the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. It is reprehensible and repulsive.” 

Another Democrat, Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, said in a statement to The Hill that Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Bush “called for America to end assistance to Israel, despite the countless images of Israeli children, women, men, and elderly, including Americans, murdered by radical Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.”

“It sickens me that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members shot in their homes, they believe Congress should strip U.S. funding to our democratic ally and allow innocent civilians to suffer,” Mr. Gottheimer continued.

Israeli’s ambassador, Michael Herzog, who served for decades as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces, also criticized Ms. Tlaib on X for her statement. “How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization?” Mr. Herzog wrote. 

“Hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians massacred in cold blood on a holy day,” he continued. “Babies kidnapped from their mother’s arms and taken to Gaza. An 85-year-old woman in a wheelchair and a Holocaust survivor taken hostage.”

Shortly after the attack by Hamas began on Saturday, the United States Office for Palestinian Affairs wrote on X that both sides should refrain from any military action. “We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred [sic],” the office posted on its government account. “We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing.” The office then quickly deleted the statement. 

Then on Sunday, Secretary Blinken posted on X that Turkey should be involved in ceasefire talks with Israel and Hamas. “Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and I spoke further on Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel,” the secretary said. “I encouraged Turkey’s advocacy for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages by Hamas immediately.” Like the post from the Office of Palestinian Affairs, Mr. Blinken’s statement was also swiftly deleted. 

In a statement released Monday afternoon, Mr. Biden made it clear that he would make every resource at his disposal available to Israel. “I affirmed to Prime Minister Netanyahu again when we spoke yesterday that the United States will continue to make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself and its people,” the president wrote. In that same statement, Mr. Biden announced that 11 Americans have been killed since Hamas began the attack on Saturday and more are believed to be hostages in Gaza.