Independent presidential candidate Cornel West and his running mate, Melina Abdullah, staunchly defended their pro-Palestinian stance in their first joint television interview since Abdullah joined West’s campaign. The interview, conducted by CNN’s Abby Phillip, took place on Thursday night.
During the interview, the pair did not call on Hamas to release Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. They also refrained from criticizing Hamas for its role in the ongoing conflict and did not condemn the group for the terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7.
Abdullah, a board member for Black Lives Matter Grassroots, expressed her unwavering support for a statement her group issued two days after the October 7 attacks. The statement characterized the attacks as “a desperate act of self-defense.”
“Understanding the origins of uprisings is crucial, even when we may disagree with the tactics employed,” Abdullah stated. When asked to condemn the October 7 attacks, she did not provide a direct response. Instead, she expressed her discomfort with the constant calls to condemn Hamas, emphasizing that she is not a member of the group.
West also defended Hamas’ actions, describing the October 7 attacks as a “counterterrorist response.” He stressed the importance of acknowledging the “vicious killings and occupations” that have been ongoing for 75 years before condemning the response to them.
The independent ticket of West and Abdullah is actively seeking support from Muslim Americans and progressives across the country. This comes amid widespread dissatisfaction and anger at President Joe Biden’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. West has made the Gaza conflict a central issue of his campaign, consistently advocating for a permanent ceasefire and an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
Abdullah, who is a Muslim raised Baptist, has expressed strong pro-Palestinian views in her work with Black Lives Matter Grassroots. She believes her religious background aligns with the core themes of the West campaign. “People of faith all want the same thing. We want peace, we want truth, we want love, and we want justice,” she said.
When asked if Hamas should release Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, as proposed by the US, West shifted the responsibility to Israel to halt its military operation and end the occupation of Palestinian territories. He emphasized the importance of recognizing the loss of Palestinian lives and condemned the Israel Defense Forces for their actions.
West acknowledged that Hamas has some “responsibility” for the war due to harm caused to civilians, but he maintained that the primary culprit is the IDF, accusing them of terrorizing Palestinians.