Rep. Jamaal Bowman of the “Squad” was criticized Monday for ignoring the six-month anniversary of the genocide of Israelis by Hamas and instead referring only to the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide.
“Today marks 30 years since the Rwandan genocide.” New York Pole said in a statement: Sunday, October 7th.
“The horror caused by state-sanctioned violence is unimaginable,” he wrote. “We must fight every day to protect human rights, everywhere, and for all marginalized groups facing violence. No more genocide.”
Mr. Bowman, who is seeking re-election for a third term in the 16th Congressional District, which includes southern Westchester County and the northeastern Bronx, is the subject of the infamous Oct. 7 attack in which more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians, were killed in Israel. There was no mention of genocide.
But Bowman, who is part of a group of congressmen known for their radical left-wing positions, noted that he campaigned as follows: Jewish supporter Sunday and Congratulations to the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team To win the championship.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer, the leading Democratic candidate, acknowledged Hamas’ genocide in a statement of his own.
“Today, we commemorate six months since Hamas’ horrific massacre on October 7 and reaffirm our support for the families of the 134 hostages still held by the terrorist organization.” Latimer wrote.
Pro-Israel activists said Bowman’s silence was telling.
“I hope someone has a conscience. How can you be an elected official from Westchester County and not be concerned about the horrors of October 7th?” Executive Deputy of the New York State Board of Rabbis Chairman Rabbi Potasnik pointed out that there are areas in the county with large Jewish populations.
“How does Bowman look in people’s eyes?” he raged. “Where’s the civility? There’s a lack of civility. Again, there’s nothing shocking about Jamal Bowman anymore.”
Mark Melman, president of the pro-Latimer Democratic Majority for Israel, said in a statement: “As Democrats in New York and across the country celebrated the six-month anniversary of Hamas’ brutal October 7 terrorist attack, Jamal Bowman… That wasn’t the case.” There’s a reason Jamal Bowman is lagging in this race: Mainstream Democrats reject his extremism. ”
Bowman’s campaign did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Latimer leads Bowman by 17 points (52% to 35%) among likely Democratic voters in the June 25 primary, according to a recent DMFI poll. Bowman’s campaign claimed the poll was off the mark.
This is not the first time Bowman has found himself in trouble over his handling of the Hamas-Israel war.
Last month, Bowman spoke at a rally on November 17, 2023, angrily claiming that reports of rape and child murder during Hamas’ October terrorist attack were “lies” and calling Israel ” A video has been released in which he gives a speech calling the country “apartheid.”
“There was propaganda at the beginning of the siege,” Bowman is shown on video shouting to the crowd during a Nov. 17 rally in White Plains.
“There is still no evidence that they behead babies or rape women, but they still continue to use lies,” he said, according to the video. Posted on TikTok and First reported by Politico.
Bowman retracted his comments after the video was published.
“As I said at this rally, what Hamas did on October 7 was a war crime and all hostages must be released,” he said in a statement last month. “The United Nations has confirmed that Hamas has committed rape and sexual violence, a reprehensible fact that I fully condemn.”
