(JNS) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said on Monday that antisemitism was antithetical to American and progressive values, and that “bad faith actors” falsely accuse black women in particular of being antisemitic.

“Antisemitism is an assault on our values as Americans and especially as progressives,” she said during an online webinar.

“It is also important to say here in this moment and during that conversation that criticism of the Israeli government is not inherently antisemitic and criticism of Zionism is not automatically antisemitic,” she added. 

The congresswoman, who is known as AOC, said that “when the Jewish community is threatened, the progressive movement is undermined,” adding, “it is also true that accusations and false accusations of antisemitism are wielded against people of color and women of color by bad-faith political actors.” 

This “weaponizing [of] antisemitism is used to divide us and create a false choice between the fight for Jewish safety and the calls for Palestinian self-determination,” she said.Sam Markstein, national political director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, called the congresswoman part of “the Hamas caucus,” expressing shock that “the Democratic Party has this much difficulty calling out antisemitism.” He added that “instead of despicable race-baiting, AOC should focus on fighting bigotry in her own ranks.”