Ocasio-Cortez Criticizes 'Unconditional' US Aid to Israel

Congresswoman says aid 'enabled a genocide in Gaza' during conflict with Hamas

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized the Biden administration's Middle East policy, saying 'unconditional' U.S. aid to Israel in its war with Hamas 'enabled a genocide in Gaza.' Ocasio-Cortez called for conditioning aid to Israel based on human rights violations, citing the Leahy laws that restrict funding to foreign security forces accused of such abuses.

Why it matters

Ocasio-Cortez's comments implicate the Biden administration's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and put pressure on the president to reevaluate military aid to Israel. Her use of the term 'genocide' to describe the Gaza conflict is also significant, as it raises the stakes of the debate over U.S. policy in the region.

The details

In an interview at the Munich Security Conference, Ocasio-Cortez said the 'unconditional' U.S. aid to Israel 'enabled a genocide in Gaza' during the conflict with Hamas. She called for enforcing Leahy laws, which restrict funding to foreign security forces accused of human rights violations. Ocasio-Cortez has previously accused the Israeli government of committing 'genocide' in Gaza, a claim that has drawn criticism from some.

  • In March 2024, Ocasio-Cortez first used the term 'genocide' to describe the Israeli-Gaza conflict on CNN.
  • In October 2024, near the end of President Biden's term, Ocasio-Cortez criticized the administration's handling of the Gaza war.
  • On February 14, 2026, Ocasio-Cortez made the comments about 'unconditional' U.S. aid to Israel at the Munich Security Conference.

The players

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A Democratic Congresswoman from New York who has been a vocal critic of U.S. policy toward Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

President Joe Biden

The current U.S. president whose administration's Middle East policy has been criticized by Ocasio-Cortez.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The former Israeli prime minister whose government's actions in Gaza were described as 'unrestrained' by Ocasio-Cortez.

Sen. Patrick Leahy

The former Democratic senator from Vermont who introduced the Leahy laws restricting U.S. funding to foreign security forces accused of human rights abuses.

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What they’re saying

“Personally, the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly Leahy laws. And I think that, personally, that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza, and I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that was completely avoidable.”

— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Haaretz)

“The word is extremely serious. It's one that's taken with extraordinary gravity. And, to me, the threshold of intent is a high one, it is a serious one, and it is not one that is made lightly.”

— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (CNN)

What’s next

The Biden administration will likely face increased pressure to reevaluate its military aid to Israel in light of Ocasio-Cortez's comments, particularly as the 2028 presidential election approaches.

The takeaway

Ocasio-Cortez's criticism of 'unconditional' U.S. aid to Israel highlights the growing divide within the Democratic Party over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the party's approach to foreign policy in the region.