Avila Chevalier and Kiros say stopping arms to Israel is a priority

Democratic House candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier of New York and Melat Kiros of Colorado said stopping US arms shipments to Israel would be a priority if they enter Congress, in an interview whose transcript POLITICO published on Oct. 19.

Avila Chevalier said she wanted tax revenue directed toward children and domestic needs rather than bombs. She linked her position on Gaza to poverty and housing conditions in her district, arguing that foreign military spending and local services should not be treated as separate issues.

Kiros said their stance reflected voters demanding a ceasefire and accountability. Both candidates described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and accused elected representatives of failing to reflect public opposition to US support. Those characterizations and claims about public opinion were the candidates’ statements.

Asked about her attendance at a pro-Palestinian rally in Times Square on Oct. 8, 2023, Avila Chevalier recalled working with children in the West Bank in 2014. She said she had condemned Hamas violations of international law, while arguing that American taxpayers have leverage over Israel because it receives US funding.

Kiros said her earlier description of the Oct. 7 attack as an inevitable consequence of occupation was an analysis of conditions leading to violence, not a moral justification. She said she would never condone violence. Asked about an attack on a hostage-support demonstration in Boulder, she called it a hate crime that terrorized the Jewish community and said antisemitism could have been a motive.

The interview also covered health care, housing, immigration enforcement and Democratic leadership. Neither candidate committed to supporting Hakeem Jeffries for House speaker; both said the agenda and discussions with constituents would matter to their decision.