Socialist group criticizes US congressman for Israel trip
Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York is a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, but Democratic Socialists of America, which supports a boycott of Israel, is not happy about his recent travel to Israel and the West Bank.
A prominent socialist group is at odds with a Democratic congressman for visiting Israel.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York visited Israel and the West Bank this month as part of a trip organized by the lobby group J Street, which describes itself as “pro-Israel, pro-peace.” Bowman is a member of the self-dubbed “squad” of progressives in Congress, who are relatively critical of Israel. In February, Bowman wrote a letter to the Israeli consulate in New York regarding the relatively slow COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the Palestinian Territories vis-a-vis Israel.
Bowman traveled with a small group of other Democrats in Congress. On Nov. 10, he met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who described the conversation as “great.” The same day, he met with Palestinian children in the West Bank city of Hebron. He criticized Israel’s occupation of the territory afterward.
“When I asked about their dreams, their answer was simple: freedom,” Bowman tweeted about the children. “The occupation must end.”
