Cornel West's Speech on 'Genocidal Attack' in Gaza Viewed 1 Million Times

A video of U.S. independent presidential candidate Cornel West condemning Israel's strikes in Gaza as a "genocidal attack" has received more than 1 million views on social media.

Despite widespread pro-Palestinian protests across the U.S. and major cities around the world calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli authorities have continued striking the region as they try to eradicate Hamas from the area following the militant group's deadly surprise attack on October 7.

More than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's strikes on Hamas began, as reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Two-thirds of those killed were women and children. On the Israeli side, at least 1,200 have died, mostly civilians killed by Hamas on October 7, AP reported.

The situation in Gaza has become increasingly more dire as the Israeli strikes continue, with hospitals running out of fuel and energy to keep essential machinery running.

While thousands of Americans have taken to the streets in recent weeks to pressure the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, the president has so far resisted doing so. But Israel has agreed to daily four-hour humanitarian pauses in northern Gaza.

West, a philosopher, political activist and an expert on race, gender and class struggles, delivered a speech condemning the U.S. government's stance on Gaza outside the United Nations in New York City on Sunday.

"We stand in solidarity with anybody who's occupied, anybody who's subjugated, anybody who's exploited," an animated West told the crowd, as shown in clips shared on social media. "And that's why we focus on Gaza at this moment, because a genocidal attack is taking place."

"Ten thousand dead and 4,000 precious children. And don't let anybody tell you that because you love Palestinians and Palestinian babies that you hate somebody else. It just doesn't follow," West said. "We don't hate Jewish brothers, we don't hate Jewish sisters, we don't hate Jewish siblings. We loathe, we hate a vicious Israeli occupation.

"We loathe and we hate a vicious siege against Gaza. And the least we can do with this moment of overwhelming vulgarity is have a ceasefire. And yet you got these cowards in Washington, D.C., talking about a humanitarian pause.

"Please, get off the crack pipe, wake up, see the humanity of precious Palestinians brothers and sisters. And the American empire has the nerve in this building to veto a humanitarian pause when our precious Palestinian brothers and sisters are being bombed. What kind of country are we? What kind of people are we?"

Newsweek reached out to West via a form on his website on Monday.

An account on X called Bad Socialism Takes commented on West's speech, saying: "I've had my criticism of Cornel West, but here he channels the emotion of the vast majority of not just Americans, but the entire world. It is not Islam vs. Judaism. It's not even Zionism vs. anti-Zionist. This conflict is the imperial ruling class vs. humanity."

"Definitely his best moment in 20 years. Reminds me of [a] king's last speeches," another user wrote.