Kane later wrote in +972 Magazine that Ocasio-Cortez had been asked to speak on her congressional work on Israel-Palestine, including a recent letter in which she warned against Israel declaring sovereignty over settlements in the West Bank. A source told Kane that the event had not been put to her office as celebrating Rabin's legacy."Ocasio-Cortez’s withdrawal from the event showcases the growing influence the Palestinian rights movement has on both the American progressive left and Congress," Kane wrote. "Five years ago, it would have been inconceivable for a US politician to bow to pressure from the left, let alone Palestinian activists, to pull out of an event celebrating an Israeli leader. Today, however, the Palestinian rights movement can count on a small bloc of progressive lawmakers who are backing their cause and authoring legislation to condition US military aid to Israel."He cited Nooran A, a Palestinian-American writer who tweeted "Palestinians spoke and @AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] listened. ... thank you."Hey there - this event and my involvement was presented to my team differently from how it’s now being promoted.Thanks for pointing it out. Taking a look into this now.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 25, 2020
But Jewish groups have been left disappointed.In an open letter to Ocasio-Cortez, Zioness Movement, a progressive Zionist coalition of Jewish activists, wrote "We are deeply troubled that you have decided to pull out of an event honoring the life and legacy of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who paid the ultimate price for his commitment to peace and justice, assassinated by a right-wing extremist for trying to advance the cause of Palestinian statehood."Individuals who call for anti-normalization––who literally refuse to acknowledge the actual existence of the Jewish state or the humanity of its diverse inhabitants and supporters––are not helping Palestinians, they are demonizing Jews and Jewish collective liberation. Israel's existence is a fact––a fact which will not change––and refusing to engage with Jews, a literal necessity if peace is ever to be achieved, is not only anti-Palestinian, it is also antisemitic."In no way do I advocate for the idol-worshipping of politicians. But Palestinians spoke & @AOC listened. In a country where Palestinians are not only actively sidelined, but are smeared when we hold politicians accountable; the tide is shifting. Thank you @AOC. https://t.co/2dKaUZSFRM
— Nooran A. (@nooranhamdan) September 25, 2020
Appealing for peace activists to come together to support everyone committed to peace, they added: "Your decision is painful to us for so many reasons. It will not help Palestinians. It will not advance peace. It will, however, advance the forces of white supremacy that alienate and target Jews and aim to divide us from our natural allies and coalitions in the fight for the soul of America. It will advance the feeling of despair held by so many progressive American Jews who feel abandoned by our fellow justice-seekers. And it will dehumanize Israelis, and signal to others that there are no Israelis worthy of celebration––not even a Nobel Prize winner who literally gave his life for peace."Our open letter to @AOC @RepAOC share w #ZionessSpeaksForMe"We are deeply troubled that you have decided to pull out of event honoring the life & legacy of former Israeli PM Rabin, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who paid the ultimate price for his commitment to peace & justice" pic.twitter.com/fYqqTDGLvF
— Zioness (@ZionessMovement) September 26, 2020