Rep. Jamal Bowman, D-New York, argued in Monday night’s debate that the anti-Israel phrase “from the river to the sea” is not hate speech.
The phrase that has been used is Already used Since the 1960s, it has been used in multiple anti-Israel demonstrations since the Oct. 7 attack by the terrorist organization Hamas, and has attracted even more attention. Bowman debated with Westchester County Executive George Latimer on June 25th. Major approached, voters were asked if they thought the phrase was hate speech. (Related article: “Jesus probably would have killed you himself”: Pro-Palestinian speaker calmly rants at city council meeting)
“I know some people do and some people don’t, but I’m not one of them,” Bowman replied.
Bowman was one of nine Democrats to vote against an October 2023 resolution supporting Israel after the attack..
“I think this is hate speech, because I think it’s clear that ‘from the river to the sea’ specifically refers to the extermination of the Jewish people from the Land of Israel,” Latimer responded.
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A poll released in April showed Bowman trailing Latimer by 17 points.
Bowman and a group of left-wing House members known as “The Squad” issued a statement calling for a ceasefire almost immediately after Israel began responding to the terrorist attack. Bowman also called on the Biden administration to take in Palestinian refugees displaced by Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Bowman was charged with a misdemeanor for setting off a fire alarm on Sept. 30, just before the House passed a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown. He then circulated his talking points about the case to fellow Democrats and mentioned some Republicans.House of Representatives as “Nazis”[s]”
Mr. Latimer has received support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has contributed at least $600,000 to his campaign.
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