Colorado lawmaker calls Israel war "genocide"
In Colorado, the political divide over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has only deepened with controversial statements made by state Rep. Iman Jodeh, the first Palestinian-American and Muslim to hold state or federal office.
Jodeh has made what will most probably be unpopular headlines with her latest remarks regarding Israel's role in the recent war in Gaza.
In a recent interview with Axios Denver, Jodeh called for an end to "unconditional support" for Israel and accused the U.S. government of being complicit in the "massacre" in the Middle East.
The state representative also made the bold claim that there is a "genocide happening" in Gaza at the hands of Israel and that our tax dollars are making us "complicit" in the death of innocent women, children, and babies.
Jodeh, who has family in Palestine and owns property in the West Bank, has been an outspoken critic of Israel and has become a "counterforce" to pro-Israel sentiment within her own party. Despite her earlier attempts to "temper" her comments, she has now escalated her rhetoric in order to "elevate the plight of the Palestinian people."
However, Jodeh's statements have drawn criticism from fellow Democratic state Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who was born in Tel Aviv and still has family living in Israel. Jenet called the rhetoric of genocide a "slap in the face for survivors of genocide" and stated that she does not blame Israel, but rather Hamas for the escalating violence.
While Jodeh insists that her call for Palestinian rights should not be a controversial issue, her statements have stirred up a similar controversy to that of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who faced backlash for her pro-Palestinian remarks and was censured by the Republican-led U.S. House.
Jodeh is now urging Colorado's congressional delegation to not support sending military and financial aid to Israel for their war efforts. However, Democratic Senator Michael Bennet and Representative Jason Crow, who both hold key roles in national security and foreign affairs oversight, have yet to comment on this issue.
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The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has sparked a deep divide in Colorado, and with Jodeh in office, it is likely that the issue will continue to loom large in the upcoming legislative session in January.
With two other state lawmakers having family affected by the conflict and Governor Jared Polis being the state's first Jewish governor, the issue remains a deeply personal and contentious one for many Coloradans.