Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York delivered a fiery speech at the rally on Saturday, criticizing U.S. engagement with Israel in an expletive-filled rally against AIPAC.
Bowman particularly criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which recently launched a $14 million campaign against Bowman’s reelection because of his criticism of Israel.
“We’re going to let AIPAC know the power of the South Bronx,” Bowman told the cheering crowd.
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Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Democrat of New York, attends a House Education and Labor Committee hearing, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Haiyun Zhang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“People ask me why I’m being abusive,” Bowman continued. “What am I supposed to do? They’re coming after me. They’re coming after my family. They’re coming after my kids. Shouldn’t I fight back? Shouldn’t I fight back? Let’s show them who we are.”
Bowman is a long-time critic of the Israeli government and its ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, characterizing the conflict as a genocide against Palestinians.
He reiterated this position at length during the rally, saying US dollars are being used to kill innocent civilians.
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Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York) finally apologized for claiming on October 7 that accusations that Hamas rapes women were “propaganda.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
“We will not stand silent while American tax dollars kill babies, women and children. My opponent supports genocide. My opponent and AIPAC are destroying our democracy,” Bowman said.
He continued, “And it’s up to all of us to save our democracy and the life of all of humanity, because this election is about the life of all of humanity.”
Bowman received an endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders at the rally, who told the crowd that they must vote “against the oligarchy” despite their personal differences with Bowman.
“If you’re a Democrat and you’re voting in the Democratic primary, you have to take on the oligarchy,” Sanders told the crowd. “You may disagree with Jamal on this issue or that issue. That’s not the point of this race. The point of this race is whether billionaires can buy an election. And on that point, all of us who vote Democratic have to be united.”
Dr. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat, represents New York’s 16th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Bowman faces off against Westchester County Mayor George Latimer, the culmination of the most expensive House race. Primary Election In American history.
A recent poll conducted by Pix11, which hosted the Bowman-Latimer debate, in collaboration with Emerson College and The Hill, showed Latimer leading Bowman 48% to 31%.
If he wins the June 25 primary, Latimer will be the first moderate Democrat to defeat a member of the left-wing “Squad.”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
