Two-time World Series champion Kevin Youkilis has publicly criticized Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) for what he termed “virtue signaling” following her condemnation of an antisemitic hate crime in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday.
The attack, which the FBI is treating as a hate crime, left a dozen people injured after the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, targeted demonstrators advocating for the release of Hamas’ Israeli hostages.
AOC described the attack as “horrific,” stating on X that her “heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country.” She added, “Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.”
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However, Youkilis, a three-time All-Star and former Boston Red Sox infielder, dismissed her message.
“Jews are targeted with violence and it’s the same virtue signal post time and time again,” he wrote on X. “What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.”
Youkilis’s comments appear to reference recent pro-Palestinian protests in New York, where chants of “long live intifada” were reportedly heard.
The term “intifada,” an Arabic word for rebellion, describes various Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation and is considered by many to be inherently antisemitic, particularly when used in the slogan “Globalize the Intifada.”
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Youkilis, who is Jewish and served as Team Israel’s hitting coach during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel. He is also the brother-in-law of NFL legend Tom Brady.
The attack in Boulder comes amidst heightened global tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and a surge in antisemitic incidents across the United States. In a related event, a man was previously reported to have yelled “free Palestine” after allegedly shooting two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington D.C.
According to an FBI affidavit, Boulder suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman told police he had planned the attack for a year, driven by a desire to “kill all Zionist people.”
Since October 2023, when Hamas-led militants abducted 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, the conflict has resulted in an estimated 60,000 deaths on both sides, with over 95 percent of those being Palestinian, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The fighting has also led to a severe hunger crisis in Gaza, displacing nearly 2 million people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced accusations of strategically starving Palestinians in Gaza, allegations he has denied.
Stateside, President Donald Trump, since returning to office in January, has threatened to revoke funding for colleges and visas for international students perceived as “Hamas sympathizers,” leading to the revocation of visas for approximately 800 students. However, courts have since restored some statuses.
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