US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump and a leading figure in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, has made headlines by describing the situation in Gaza as a “genocide“. This stance marks a significant departure from the typical Republican support for Israel, highlighting a growing schism within the party.
Greene’s comments were prompted by the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where an Israeli-imposed hunger crisis has resulted in the deaths of over 120 people. She criticized her colleague, Representative Randy Fine, who has openly celebrated the starvation and bombardment of Palestinians. “It’s the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,” Greene wrote.
Her words echo assessments from leading human rights groups and United Nations experts, who have described Israel’s actions in Gaza as consistent with genocide. The UN defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,” and it is considered one of the gravest war crimes.
The Israeli military’s actions in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 60,000 people, with many more suffering from malnutrition and other health issues. Greene’s comments are all the more remarkable given that only a handful of US lawmakers have accused Israel of genocide. While most criticism of Israel’s actions has come from the political left, Greene’s stance demonstrates a growing concern among some Republicans about the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza.
Fine, who was elected to Congress with Trump’s endorsement and the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has a history of Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian positions. He sparked outrage last week by appearing to endorse Israel’s starvation campaign in Gaza, dismissing images of starving children as “Muslim terror propaganda”. “Release the hostages,” he wrote. “Until then, starve away.”
Greene warned that Fine’s “awful statement will actually cause more anti-Semitism”. The American Jewish Committee (AJC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, also slammed Fine’s remarks, stating that implying starvation is a legitimate tactic is unacceptable. “All those in need of humanitarian aid should receive it promptly and safely. Our leaders must focus less on scoring political points and more on doing their jobs,” AJC wrote.
Greene’s comments come amid growing international pressure to denounce the Israeli blockade on Gaza, which has limited the entry of basic supplies into the territory. Images of emaciated Palestinian children and evidence of mass hunger in Gaza have sharpened criticism against Israel in US politics. Congressman John Garamendi, a Democrat, also suggested that Israel’s policies amount to genocide, stating, “It’s impossible to look at the starvation caused by Israel’s dangerous and willful failure to enable humanitarian aid and not see a genocide being committed against the people of Palestine”.