Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Sept. 25. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

By Jacob Kornbluh October 22, 2024

At its annual conference, the Democratic Socialists of America’s New York City chapter rejected a proposal to censure Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for hosting an online panel discussion with two leading Jewish experts on antisemitism, and for certain votes she took related to Israel.

The chapter — broadly condemned for celebrating the Hamas attacks on Israel at a Times Square demonstration last year on Oct. 7, the day of the assault — also rejected a proposal on Saturday that would have required candidates to commit to a number of “anti-Zionist” measures before they could receive its endorsement.

The votes took place in private session at its annual convention in New York City, but the Forward obtained draft documents of the proposals, and learned of the outcome of votes from members’ tweets.

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The chapter is trying to balance its own anti-Zionist stances with the concerns of politicians who may no longer seek its endorsement over widespread perceptions that the group supports terrorism against Israel.

DSA’s NYC chapter rescinded its endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, in July, despite her vocal criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, because she voted in favor of a resolution that condemned Hamas and equated the denial of Israel’s right to exist with antisemitism.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, another New York Democrat and outspoken critic of Israel, let his membership in the DSA lapse last year over a dispute over funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

But while the chapter chose not to tighten its anti-Zionist requirement for endorsement seekers this weekend, it passed a resolution strengthening its own commitment to Palestinians and rejection of Israel.

The measure reaffirms the chapter’s commitment to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, calls for “political, economic, and social equality between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea,” and proposes treating candidates’ financial backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee like funding from the National Rifle Association, of which mainstream Democrats widely disapprove.

The unsuccessful effort to fortify the chapter’s anti-Zionist demands of its endorsees ahead of the November election and next year’s citywide Democratic primaries infuriated some DSA members.

“I am ashamed we won’t hold our electeds to an anti-Zionist line by imposing real consequences,” one activist, going by the username @girlcloudnine, posted on X.

That failed resolution called for candidates to “publicly support BDS” and “reject affiliation with the Israeli government or Zionist lobby groups” such as AIPAC, but also the more liberal J Street and Democratic Majority For Israel.

It would also have created “anti-Zionist educational materials” and “training” for candidates and impose “a process of reconciliation” if an endorsed elected official voted to support military aid to Israel.

DSA-NYC’s anti-Israel position did not translate into electoral success in the past year.  Three of its four endorsees lost in the June Democratic primaries. And their endorsement didn’t help Bowman retain his seat.

Currently eight Democrats in the State Senate and Assembly affiliate with the local New York City and Mid-Hudson Valley chapters of the DSA. The group is likely to gain an Assembly seat in November with Claire Valdez, a Columbia University staffer and union organizer, who defeated incumbent Juan Ardila in Queens in June’s Democratic primary.

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