When Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation were quick to issue forceful condemnations. But since then, some notable differences have emerged when it comes to how different members understand the nuances of the situation and what they believe should or shouldn’t happen next, both at present and in the days and weeks to come.
The following is a selective summary — drawn from social media posts, press releases, and other public statements — of where the senators and representatives from Massachusetts stand and, in some cases, how their positions have shifted or evolved.
Ed Markey immediately condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel as “heinous” and urged de-escalation, saying Hamas is empowered by crisis and that war between Israel and Palestine [Markey’s term] would be “catastrophic.” At a pro-Israel Boston Common rally on Oct. 9, he called Hamas’ attack “vicious murder” and described the U.S.-Israel bond as unbreakable, but was booed after reiterating a call for de-escalation. Markey also voiced concern for the safety of “innocent civilians” in Israel and Gaza and condemned antisemitism as security was ramped up at local synagogues.
Elizabeth Warren immediately condemned Hamas’ attack as “horrific” and “terrorism.” At the Oct. 9 Boston Common rally, she said terrorism is “never justified” and vowed that the U.S. will be a strong ally to Israel. She subsequently urged Israel to minimize civilian harm as it responds. She also linked Hamas’ reported use of cryptocurrency to legislation she’s filed that would impose anti-money laundering rules on the industry.
Jake Auchincloss appeared to reject Markey’s call for de-escalation at the Oct. 9 rally, saying: “Now is not the time for equivocation. Hamas is an internationally recognized terrorist organization … Israel is a liberal democracy with the right and responsibility to defend itself and its citizens.” Afterward, speaking with the Boston Globe, he downplayed any disagreement with Markey.
Auchincloss told Politico that Israel’s anticipated invasion of Gaza is appropriate and can be conducted with “due concern” for the safety of civilians. He also harshly criticized statements on the conflict from Harvard, his alma mater, and urged Harvard’s administration to condemn students who blamed Israel for Hamas’ attack.
He is one of four delegation members (along with Jim McGovern, Ayanna Pressley and Lori Trahan) to urge the State Department to use charter flights to repatriate Americans seeking to leave Israel.
Katherine Clark immediately called Hamas’ attack “vicious…unprovoked and appalling” and voiced “unequivocal” support for Israel’s right to self defense. Later said she was “heartbroken” by the murder of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian American in Illinois, and that Islamophobia “has no place in America.”
Bill Keating immediately condemned the “senseless terrorist attacks” and vowed American support for Israeli people and government. He downplayed any disagreements within the Massachusetts delegation or among congressional Democrats after the Oct. 9 rally on Boston Common, telling the Globe that the “vast majority” of the party supports President Joe Biden’s response.
Stephen Lynch immediately labeled Hamas’ attack as “savage” and “senseless” and urged President Biden to “stand with Israel.” Lynch told Boston 25 that he’s previously traveled to Gaza and that it’s a “very densely settled urban area,” and that those conditions, coupled with Hamas holding hostages, will make any military operation “extremely difficult.” He also said the U.S. should provide Israel with any assistance it requests and that, despite counterprotests, there’s “no justification” for Hamas’ actions.
Jim McGovern immediately said he was “horrified” by Hamas’ “vicious terror attacks” and that there “is never an excuse for such despicable violence.” He subsequently called the attacks “appalling atrocities” and “evil.” He also urged people to distinguish between Hamas and the Palestinian people, and said that, while Israel has an “absolute right to defend itself,” cutting off food, water and fuel from civilians is unacceptable.
He is one of four delegation members (along with Jake Auchincloss, Ayanna Pressley and Lori Trahan) to urge the State Department to use charter flights to repatriate Americans seeking to leave Israel. He’s also one of two delegation members (along with Ayanna Pressley) to sign a letter urging that concrete steps be taken to minimize suffering in Gaza as Israel responds to Hamas’ attack. (The letter began by “unequivocally condemn[ing] Hamas’ shocking and horrifying terrorist attack on Israel.”)
Seth Moulton immediately called Hamas’ attack “evil and criminal” and unequivocally affirmed Israel’s right to self defense, adding that Israeli and Palestinian children “need leaders who will deliver peace.”
He condemned the letter from student groups at Harvard, his alma mater, and the response from Harvard’s administration, saying: “You can stand up for Palestinian rights while condemning Hamas terrorists just as you can fiercely criticize the extremist, anti-democratic actions of the Netanyahu government while supporting the nation of Israel’s right to defend itself.” He also expressed concern over what he called a lack of Israeli planning for what might follow an expected invasion of Gaza, saying, “If Israel thinks they’re just going to fight their way to peace, I’m sorry, but they’re wrong.”
Richard Neal immediately condemned Hamas’ attacks as “vicious,” “horrific” and “unprovoked” acts of terrorism. Neal asserted Israel’s right to self defense and promised U.S. support, and said people need to be reminded that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East.
Ayanna Pressley immediately called Hamas’ attacks “devastating” and “deeply alarming” and called for “an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation,” adding: “It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region.” Subsequently, Pressley voiced “alarm” over Israel’s request that one million Gaza residents evacuate prior to a planned attack on Hamas and urged Israel to “prioritize saving civilian lives.”
She is one of two delegation members (along with Jim McGovern) to sign the aforementioned letter urging that concrete steps be taken to minimize suffering in Gaza as Israel prepares to invade. Pressley reposted articles about Israeli missile strikes killing evacuees in Gaza and the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume. She is also one of four delegation members (along with Jake Auchincloss, Jim McGovern and Lori Trahan) to urge the State Department to use charter flights to repatriate Americans seeking to leave Israel. On Monday, Pressley backed a resolution urging the Biden administration to immediately call for a ceasefire and de-escalation and to facilitate humanitarian assistance for Gaza.
Lori Trahan immediately condemned the “heinous terrorist attacks” by Hamas and promised the U.S. would stand with Israel. Later, Trahan described Hamas’s actions as “atrocities” and “pure evil.” She denounced the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume as a “hate-filled act of violence” and said Islamophobia must be condemned just like antisemitism.
She is one of four delegation members (along with Jake Auchincloss, Jim McGovern and Ayanna Pressley) to urge the State Department to use charter flights to repatriate Americans seeking to leave Israel. She did not directly answer when asked by CBS Boston’s Jon Keller if Markey and Pressley’s calls for de-escalation were misguided, but said that, while “everybody wants to see peace … right now we are standing unequivocally with our Israeli allies.”
