Backlash and Support: Reactions to Recent Pro-Hamas Events in the US

A pro-Hamas rally in Times Square, hosted by the Democratic Socialists of America, drew widespread condemnation as speakers praised the recent Hamas terror attack in Israel. The rally highlighted a split within the Democratic Party, with younger activists aligning with the Palestinian cause. The event symbolized fractures in a Democratic establishment that was once solidly behind Israel, but as Israel's government has moved rightward, the American left has embraced liberation struggles, including Palestinian statehood. The rally faced criticism for conflating Hamas with the entire Palestinian people and for mocking the murder of Israeli civilians. Progressive lawmakers, including Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Bowman, Tlaib, and Omar, who are part of the DSA, did not express concern, putting them in a bind as they want to show solidarity with the Palestinian cause without endorsing violence.