Local Religious Leaders Make Public Alleged Text Message
Religious leaders in the district of Congressman Jamaal Bowman are expressing concerns over what they perceive as his repeated acts of betrayal. This concern arises as Bowman, a member of the “Squad,” grapples with significant political challenges.
Recent reports indicate that some influential community leaders in Bowman’s suburban New York district have withdrawn their previous support for him. Bowman is trailing behind a more moderate, pro-Israel Democrat in the run-up to the primary later this month. Bowman’s frequent labeling of Israel’s conflict with Hamas as a “genocide” and his criticism of President Joe Biden’s decision not to align with the far-left members of his party have strained relationships with former allies.
One incident involves a prominent Jewish figure, previously neutral, with whom Bowman texted, “Do you have pics of us? So I can show the world I’m friends with Jewish People.” The individual, who preferred to stay anonymous, reportedly brushed off the uncomfortable inquiry, suggesting that Bowman’s office must have a photograph somewhere.
New: In late spring 2022, Rep. Jamaal Bowman reached out a local Jewish leader with an unusual request as he faced mounting scrutiny over his record on Israel.
“Do you have pics of us?” he texted. “So I can show the world I’m friends with Jewish People.” https://t.co/M1YVmrtF0s
— Matthew Kassel (@matthewkassel) June 18, 2024
Bowman, 48, is under fire as he campaigns for a third two-year term. In 2020, he secured a victory partly by pledging to support the Abraham Accords, an initiative for Middle East peace launched by the Trump administration, targeting the establishment of peace treaties between Israel and nearby Muslim-majority nations. However, Bowman later withdrew his support and began criticizing the deal.
Bowman’s relationship with his district’s Jewish community has further strained following the October 7th, 2023 attack by Hamas, which left 1,400 Jewish civilians dead and hundreds more as hostages. Recent polls suggest that Bowman’s criticism of Israel and behavior in Congress no longer aligns with his district. Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is contesting against Bowman in the June 25th election, has capitalized on this animosity by expressing total support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas; he also was endorsed by Hillary Clinton.
Even though Bowman reversed his stance on the Abraham Accords, supported a movement to divest from organizations linked to Israel, and voted against funding for Israel’s Iron Dome, he insists that he continues to receive strong backing from his Jewish constituents. His dismissal of the campaign to unseat him as a right-wing conspiracy funded by AIPAC, a significant pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington, which has reportedly invested more than $11 million in the race, has further stirred controversy.
Adding insult to injury, Bowman supposedly refused to attend crucial events in the Jewish community, such as Shabbat meals or meetings by the Westchester Jewish Council. This has left a sour taste in in the mouths of community leaders. In the words of Justin Brasch, a White Plains councilman and a Jewish Democrat, “That is not someone who wants to build bridges with Jews and the Jewish community… He doesn’t reach out. He doesn’t reach back. He’s not interested at all in the Jewish community.”