A staff worker for New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is under investigation following statements of his speaking out against the state of Israel on Instagram, calling it a “racist European ethnostate.”
Hussain Altamimi started as a legislative assistant in Ocasio-office Cortez’s in November.
In his post, he said “This reveals the principle underpinning Israeli apartheid: It’s not about where you’re born. It’s about whether you’re Jewish or non-Jewish. Your ethnicity determines your rights [and] level in the racial hierarchy.”
He further posted: “Israel is an exclusive ethnostate, established to serve one ethnic group at the expense of another.”
Cortez, like other Squad members, has previously spoken out against Israel.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, a Republican, slammed Ocasio-Cortez for antisemitic remarks in March.
According to the Heritage Center, “AOC’s staffer sounds just like what we documented diversity, equity, and inclusion staff to be saying on Twitter. Radical activists seem remarkably willing to expose hateful thoughts on social media. And they staff Congress and universities.”
The current remark is troubling, but not surprising, given Ocasio-continued Cortez’s association with anti-Israel activists.
