Jewish state legislators of the Minnesota Legislature are condemning the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America’s recent statement on the war between Israel and Hamas.
In a statement, the legislators said in part that they stand in solidarity with Israeli families and friends are heartbroken by "the largest single-day Jewish loss of life since the Holocaust."
Calling out the statement by the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America, saying it "fails to even mention or acknowledge" the mass murder of Israelis at the hands of Hamas terrorists.
Legislators further reiterated the grief and pain these events have caused in communities across the globe as they grieve both Israeli and Palestinian lives.
In a statement today and in response to this week's criticism, the Twin Cities DSA chapter is now condemning the attacks by Hamas and attempting to clarify their position.
"We grieve for those who have been killed in Israel and Palestine," said the DSA on Thursday. "We grieve alongside those whose lives have been torn apart by this bitter, ongoing struggle. The bloodshed of the last few days has been utterly devastating. Our Jewish and our Palestinian friends and family members, both here in the United States and abroad, are faced with astonishing loss and pain."
The original statement by the DSA on October 9 said:
"We, the Twin Cities chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, are heartbroken after watching 2 million Gazans live in the world’s largest open-air prison, where access to basic necessities like medical care and electricity are frequently denied to them by Israel. After seeing our Palestinian siblings be denied movement outside of the prison walls that encircle Gaza."
Speaking with WCCO Radio's Vineeta Sawkar Wednesday morning, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said their statement was unconscionable.
"I don't know them, I obviously don't associate with where they're at," said Walz. "The idea that you can't just for a moment, speak where your heart is at and condemn this for what it was, regardless of all the other political and social implications behind this very challenging issue in the Middle East. That's not what we're talking about."
Here is the full statement from the Minnesota Jewish legislators:
Today, Jewish state legislators of the Minnesota Legislature, Representatives Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis), Emma Greenman (DFL-Minneapolis), Heather Edelson (DFL-Edina), Sandra Feist (DFL-New Brighton), and Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester), and Senators Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul), Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), Bonnie Westlin (DFL-Plymouth), and Steve Cwodzinski (DFL-Eden Prairie) released the following statement condemning the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America’s recent statement on the war between Israel and Palestine:
"In the wake of the barbaric attack and massacre of Israeli civilians, including many elders and children, we stand in solidarity with our Israeli families and friends. We are heartbroken by images of entire communities destroyed in the largest single-day Jewish loss of life since the Holocaust. We grieve the loss of all civilian life – Israeli and Palestinian – in this war.
“That is why we are appalled at a recent statement by the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) that fails to even mention or acknowledge the heinous mass murder of Israelis at the hands of Hamas terrorists. In this moment of grief and pain in the Jewish communities across the globe, the failure to condemn this bloodshed is hurtful to our communities that have experienced so much generational trauma.
“The DSA statement concludes with an egregious proclamation that negates the existence of Israel. Such statements do not move us closer to a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace, security, and justice. We have and will continue to support peace efforts in the region."