Bowman becomes second ‘Squad’ member to condemn antisemitic NYC rally

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) issued a lengthy statement condemning an antisemitic rally in New York City over the weekend, after Hamas committed terrorist attacks against Israel.

Bowman said he condemns the rally in New York in the “strongest possible terms” and called the actions of Hamas in Israel “unequivocally abhorrent” in a statement issued on Tuesday.

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“Hamas targeted defenseless and innocent civilians and killed the largest number of Jewish people outside of the Holocaust in one day. It has truly been a heartbreaking past few days with deaths we hoped would never happen again,” Bowman said. “Their actions are unequivocally abhorrent and must be strongly condemned.”

“I am shocked and disgusted by the rally held here in NY this weekend celebrating death or attacks on civilians and showing swastikas. I condemn any demonstration that does this in the strongest possible terms. We must proceed on the basis of recognizing our shared humanity.”

The New York Democrat also called for a distinction between Hamas terrorists and Palestinian civilians, arguing that human rights should be the center of the response in the aftermath of the attacks.

“This deadly violence has been killing and traumatizing generations of Israelis and Palestinians alike. And 11 Americans are among those we have tragically lost,” Bowman said.

“We need open discussion of the root causes of this conflict to end this violence and stop Hamas once and for all and bring us to a peaceful two-state solution,” he continued. “We need to acknowledge hard truths about the oppression millions of Palestinians face.”

Bowman then called for countries to help work toward a “peaceful two-state solution” and said that both “Israeli and Palestinian civilians do not deserve to be killed due to this war.” He also offered assistance to any of his constituents who are still in Israel amid the war.

With the lengthy statement, Bowman becomes the second member of the “Squad” to condemn the rally held in Manhattan on Sunday. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also condemned the “hatred and antisemitism” at the rally which celebrated the recent terrorist attack against Israel by Hamas.

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Other members of the Squad have been criticized for their responses to the Hamas terrorist attack, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) still having a Palestinian flag outside her congressional office on Monday and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) calling for the U.S. to stop “unconditional weapons sales and military aid to Israel.”

Israel declared war against Hamas, the first time it had declared war since 1973, shortly after the attacks on Saturday. The conflict has killed at least 1,800 people on both sides since the first terrorist attacks by Hamas, according to the Associated Press. President Joe Biden said in remarks on Tuesday that at least 14 Americans are among the dead in Israel.