Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez recently acknowledged that she lacks expertise on the Middle East. Despite this, her claims of “genocide” against Israel have sparked anti-Semitic sentiments, particularly in Germany.
During a recent two-day trip to Munich, I engaged in discussions with individuals from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds who are committed to peace.
The conversations focused on potential expansions of the Abraham Accords, which represent a significant peace treaty between Israel and various Arab and Islamic nations. Yet, I couldn’t help but remember my first visit to Munich—47 years ago, back in 1979.
It fell on Purim, a Jewish holiday that commemorates the thwarting of a genocidal plan against Jews in ancient Persia, as described in the Bible. On that day, I had the opportunity to read the Book of Esther, known to Jews as the Megillah, with Shimon Wiesenthal, a renowned Nazi hunter. Joining us was Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, located at the site of Dachau, Hitler’s first concentration camp.
Our purpose was to advocate for West Germany to eliminate the statute of limitations on murder, which would prevent former mass murderers from evading justice. Ultimately, Congress did repeal that law.
Today, the legacy of the Holocaust lingers in Munich, especially in light of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were killed in a terrorist attack, exacerbated by the indifference of the International Olympic Committee.
Just days before my visit, a rifle with live ammunition was sent to the Oher Jacob Synagogue in Munich, accompanied by threats against the Jewish community. My role was to attend morning prayers in this beautiful synagogue, joining roughly 30 local congregants.
That serene moment quickly faded when I saw a police officer standing nearby, finger on the trigger of an automatic weapon, there to protect the worshippers.
The next day, Ocasio-Cortez, a congresswoman from New York who seems to have aspirations for leadership within the Democratic Party and the nation, attended the Munich conference. She sought international recognition and aimed to rally those within the European left, who were unsettled by President Trump’s sweeping geopolitical changes.
Despite the gravity of her statements, AOC may be remembered in Munich not for her political savvy but rather for her historical inaccuracies and anti-Semitic rhetoric.
In a location where Hitler’s rise to power was fueled by grotesque anti-Semitic narratives, AOC chose to label Israel as committing genocide.
Bystanders at the Munich conference, including international elites, were left bewildered by her remarks—wondering about her supporter base and her intentions.
AOC’s inflammatory “genocide” claim against Israel, the very nation that birthed Nazism, will inevitably reverberate throughout the U.S., even in California. The term “genocide” has permeated mainstream media, academia, and even K-12 education here.
Mobs have marched on synagogues and schools, echoing the very sentiments AOC presented in Munich for her personal gain.
Her rhetoric will likely embolden anti-Israel activists. Meanwhile, observers will be gauging whether her claims will ultimately benefit or hinder her political goals.
Interestingly, during my time in Munich, 250,000 demonstrators gathered—not against Israel, but against the Iranian regime.
We can expect similar protests in cities like London, Toronto, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles soon.
Regrettably, AOC did not take the opportunity in Munich to denounce the Iranian regime, which has perpetrated egregious violations against its populace.
She also failed to express concern for the suffering of groups like China’s Uyghurs, Christians, or Falun Gong practitioners, or even for those fighting for freedom like Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong—freedoms that she herself takes for granted.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper is the Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, as well as a former Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
