Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called on Monday for the U.S. to impose an arms embargo on Israel amid a renewed Israeli offensive in northern Gaza. But that call appeared to largely elicit further backlash from the far-left, leaving Ocasio-Cortez on the defensive.

“The horrors unfolding in northern Gaza are the result of a completely unrestrained Netanyahu gov, fully armed by the Biden admin while food aid is blocked and patients are bombed in hospitals,” Ocasio-Cortez said on X, formerly Twitter. “This is a genocide of Palestinians. The US must stop enabling it. Arms embargo now.”

Ocasio-Cortez, already among the lawmakers most critical of Israel’s operations against Hamas and Hezbollah, has for months been under pressure from far-left Israel opponents who have accused her of being insufficiently vocal against Israel, as well as from supporters of Israel.

The left criticized her, for instance, for not calling for an arms embargo in her speech at the Democratic National Convention in August. She was nevertheless among the earliest House lawmakers to call for a cease-fire, on Oct. 7, and has been calling for conditions and halts to U.S. aid for months. Thus far, only the farthest-left members of the House have explicitly called for an arms embargo.

The New York congresswoman also raised the left’s ire earlier this year by participating in a webinar on antisemitism in which she called for strong pushback antisemitism in progressive spaces but also decried “false accusations of antisemitism.”

That webinar, and her refusal to go further in opposition to Israel, prompted the Democratic Socialists of America to withdraw its endorsement of her.

Ocasio-Cortez’s call for an arms embargo appeared to do little to appease left-wing ire against her, with some claiming her Monday statement was at odds with past comments asserting that she and the administration were working toward a cease-fire in Gaza. Cease-fire talks appear to be largely inactive at this point after Hamas repeatedly rejected the deals presented.

Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the specific impetus for her call for an arms embargo.

Responding on Instagram to left-wing criticism, Ocasio-Cortez described herself as “the target of major disinformation, part of a larger trend of left targeting, fracturing, and minimization of power.”

“While there are people who may have legitimate grievances, critiques, and disappointments in me, I have noticed a trend of a LOT of people harassing me in public for things I have also never said or done,” she continued.

The New York lawmaker said that protest alone will not accomplish the protesters’ goals and that other lawmakers have been wary of voting against arms for Israel because “all they see is the left attacking the few people who actually hold and VOTE that position to begin with.”

She further warned about disinformation in the pro-Palestinian community, including white supremacist accounts that have built significant audiences by posting pro-Palestinian content.

Ocasio-Cortez also defended the what she described as “extensive work to call out and combat antisemitism,” adding that she does not “apologize nor feel defensive over educating around and calling out clear, rank antisemitism because it IS disgusting and our Jewish communities should be safe and cherished as any other. We can also state clearly with community partners what IS and ISNT antisemitism.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, Mike Casca, also responded on social media asserting that “there are few members of congress who have done more to end this war than @AOC” and that she “whipped the most votes in recent history against offensive aid for Israel,” appearing to refer to the 37 House Democrats who voted against supplemental aid earlier this year.

“She labeled netanyahu’s war a genocide in march. she’s pressured the administration publicly and privately at every turn. she was the first person to mention gaza on stage in chicago. she then spent the rest of the week trying to get a palestinian speaker at the convention,” Casca continued. “disagree on tactics all you want. but the constant narrative on this bot-ridden website that she is not committed to ending this war is totally laughable.”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) fired back at Ocasio-Cortez, saying her ire should be directed toward Hamas.

“The tragedy in Gaza is 100% on Hamas,” he said. ”Stop using civilians and hospitals as shields, surrender, and release all remaining hostages—and this ends.”

Ocasio-Cortez responded dismissively.

“I dunno man. I care about little kids dying. I care about human rights. I care that billions of US tax dollars’ worth of weapons are carrying out unspeakable atrocities,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I care enough for us to do better. Hope this bleak dunk attempt gets you whatever it is you’re going for.”

The Biden administration is currently threatening to withhold arms from Israel over concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.