‘Squad’ member being ‘careful about labeling’ Hamas and others ‘terrorists’ – Washington Examiner

Heather HunterAugust 5, 2024

Cori Bush, a Democratic representative from Missouri ‌and ⁤a member of the “Squad,” has expressed hesitancy in labeling Hamas as a terrorist organization amidst the ongoing‍ conflict in Gaza following the October 7 attack. While she acknowledges that both Hamas and the Israeli military ⁣have caused harm, she states that she does not feel she knows enough about Hamas to definitively classify them as terrorists, despite her personal belief that they qualify. Bush cites ‌her experiences during the Ferguson protests, where activists were labeled as terrorists, as a‍ reason to be cautious ⁢with such labels.

Following her comments, a spokesperson for Bush clarified that she does recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, critiquing how the term has ⁢been used by⁢ far-right groups to justify violence and the ⁢suffering ⁣of Palestinian civilians. ‌Bush has⁣ previously condemned ‌Israeli military actions as ethnic cleansing and has advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza, reflecting her stance on the humanitarian crisis in the region. Her activism, which began after the Ferguson unrest, has shaped her approach‍ to discussing complex issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

‘Squad’ member being ‘careful about labeling’ Hamas and others ‘terrorists’

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), who has been a vocal critic of Israel and its war in Gaza following the attack on Oct. 7, is hesitating to call Hamas a “terrorist” organization as she heads into a tight primary Tuesday.

“We were called terrorists during Ferguson,” Bush reportedly said. “Have they hurt people? Absolutely. Has the Israeli military hurt people? Absolutely.”

The congresswoman added that she doesn’t know enough about Hamas to classify them as a terrorist organization, but she personally believes they “qualify.”

“Would they qualify to me as a terrorist organization? Yes. But do I know that? Absolutely not,” she said.

“I have no communication with them. All I know is that we were considered terrorists, we were considered Black identity extremists, and all we were doing was trying to get peace. I’m not trying to compare us, but that taught me to be careful about labeling if I don’t know,” Bush continued.

Following Bush’s unwillingness to label Hamas a terrorist group, her spokesperson clarified the congresswoman’s comments to the New York Times, saying she does know that Hamas “is a terrorist organization.”

The spokesperson also said the “terrorist” label has been “weaponized by the far-right consistently to justify violence and, in this instance, the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

Ten years ago, in 2014, the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, over the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer helped launch Bush’s career as an activist and later enabled her to become one of the most centrist members of the House.

Bush had decried Israel’s military operations as an “ethnic cleansing campaign” and has been a leading voice in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza alongside her fellow “Squad” members in the House. She boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress.

The Missouri Democrat also voted against a resolution to bar Hamas and anyone who participated in the October attacks from the United States.

She faces a challenge from Democratic prosecutor Wesley Bell, who has the backing of pro-Israel groups and opposes Bush’s support of defunding the police.

According to FiveThirtyEight’s analysis of primary polling, Bell is currently beating Bush in the most recent poll by the Mellman Group, which showed him at 48% and the congresswoman at 42%.