Kyle Clark Presses Democratic Socialist Challenger on Israel, Hamas and Anti-Semitism

A closely watched Democratic primary in Colorado has drawn renewed attention after a tense interview between a local television anchor and a progressive challenger exposed sharp differences over Israel, terrorism and anti-Semitism.
Kyle Clark of Colorado’s 9News sat down this week with Melat Kiros ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary, where she is challenging fifteen-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). The race has become one of several contests in Colorado where progressive candidates are mounting serious challenges against long-serving Democratic incumbents, with Kiros and DeGette running neck-and-neck.
Kiros, 29, identifies as a democratic socialist and has attracted attention for a number of left-wing policy positions, including calls to abolish ICE and implement Medicare for All. She has also faced criticism over previous statements regarding Israel and Hamas.
In recent years, Kiros was dismissed from a law firm after writing an essay arguing that advocating for the elimination of Israel is not anti-Semitic. She has also generated controversy over comments describing Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israeli communities as “the inevitable consequence of apartheid.”
Clark directly challenged that statement during the interview, asking whether it suggested Israel “had it coming.”
Kiros rejected that interpretation, saying she was referring to the broader conditions that lead to violence. She argued Israel has faced accusations of apartheid and occupation for decades and said those conditions should be addressed to create opportunities for peace.
“I hope that as an ally that Israel claims to be, they would be responsive to our demands to make sure that they change those conditions so that we can actually finally start the work of peacebuilding and delivering aid to the people in need,” she said.
Clark later revealed additional portions of the interview on social media, noting that he had also questioned Kiros about whether she viewed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks through a similar lens and highlighted that she declined to characterize the firebombing attack against Jewish demonstrators in Boulder as an act of anti-Semitism.
Asked whether the Sept. 11 attacks were likewise “the inevitable consequence” of American foreign policy, Kiros responded that U.S. actions had destabilized much of the Middle East, leading some people to believe violence was their only response. She added that the responsibility is to eliminate the conditions that produce violence.
Clark also questioned Kiros about her recent campaign appearance alongside online commentator Hasan Piker.
Referencing Piker’s past statement that Hamas is a “lesser evil” than Israel, Clark asked whether she agreed.
“No, I don’t,” Kiros responded.
The interview then turned to Kiros’ views on U.S. military support for Israel.
Clark noted that Kiros has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and has called for an arms embargo. He asked whether that position would also prohibit the United States from providing or financing defensive weapons used to protect Israeli civilians from rocket attacks launched by Hezbollah or Iran.
Kiros answered that it would.
When Clark asked why she would not distinguish between offensive and defensive weapons, Kiros argued that any U.S. arms sales provide Israel with the ability to continue what she described as genocide in Palestine and ethnic cleansing in Lebanon.
Clark also questioned Kiros about the recent firebombing attack in Boulder targeting peaceful demonstrators advocating for the release of Jewish hostages held by Hamas.
He asked whether she considered the attack to be an act of anti-Semitism.
Kiros declined to make that determination, saying she did not know what was in the perpetrator’s heart or what motivated the attack. She said she only knew that innocent people had been targeted because of what they may have believed and noted that many of those attending the demonstration were likely there simply to support the return of the hostages to their families.
When Clark pressed her on whether she would describe the attack as anti-Semitic, Kiros again declined, saying she did not know the attacker’s intentions.