Dear Neighbor, 

As my team and I continue to monitor the unfolding events in Israel and Palestine as well as the rise in antisemitism and hate here, I wanted to share some updates with you on Congress’ response – and to reaffirm my belief in centering compassion and our shared humanity as we consider policies to address the tragic loss of precious lives and do everything in our power to bring peace and de-escalation to violence. 

First of all, I want to offer my profound thanks to the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for meeting with me today. I am in awe of their strength and courage and their willingness to share their stories with me. I will continue to push for the safe return of the hostages and make sure their stories are heard. 

The profound fear and trauma from the events of October 7th in Israel  are deep and shocking. I hear daily from our Jewish neighbors about the enormous impact it has made. Our office is hosting a series of roundtables for those impacted  and  to process the events and work together toward solutions, even if we all cannot agree. Please register here if you’d like to attend a Healing Breakfast specifically discussing antisemitism and protecting our Jewish neighbors  that we are hosting on Monday November 6th at 11AM. Location will be provided upon registration. Please be on the lookout for more events that will bring our communities together in the face of extreme violence and hate. 

I recognize that the attacks by Israel on Gaza did not occur in a vacuum. They were triggered by the atrocities of Oct 7: the murder by Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization,  of  1400 civilians and the  kidnapping of over 240 people including children and the elderly. I believe that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas and to do everything in its power to ensure the safe return of all the hostages that have been  taken into Gaza. I further understand that a military response by Israel is made more difficult by the fact that Hamas, in violation of international law,  places its military infrastructure in civilian locations including hospitals and schools. 

The deaths of  Palestinian children and other innocent civilians in Gaza is  now numbering in the thousands and is continuing at a horrific rate. As a result, I have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza because every life is precious. This must also include a release of the hostages. 

Still, Israel does not have the right to respond to Hamas' war crimes  with war crimes of its own: by  cutting off food, water and energy to civilians or by disproportionately killing non combatants. That is what I believe is happening now and why a cease fire is imperative.

But a ceasefire is needed for an additional reason: to face the root causes of the conflict.  As horrific as Oct 7 was, those events also did not occur in vacuum. Palestinians have for decades suffered under a brutal stifling military occupation in the West Bank  that have deprived Palestinians of civil rights and under policies that have allowed for the systematic annexation of Palestinian land.  The blockade of Gaza has ensured a life of massive unemployment and poverty for Gazans for decades. It is these conditions that have allowed Hamas to maintain its authoritarian grip on Gazans and ultimately commit the heinous crimes of Oct 7. The cycle of violence will not end until these unjust realities are addressed and Palestinians have their own state. It is imperative that we cease the fighting now so that the root causes of the conflict can be addressed in a real and meaningful way.

With that said, we must do everything in our power to return to peacekeeping and commitment to creating a two state solution. This is the way that both Israeli and Palestianans can have true safety, security, and self determination. 

Votes taken this week: 

The House voted on H.R. 6126, providing military funding to Israel while undoing the IRS program intended to catch tax cheats. 194 of my Democratic colleagues voted against this legislation and I submitted an amendment to the bill that would require a detailed assessment of the Israeli government’s compliance with international law, and a certification that none of our support or training is being used to commit human rights violations, in accordance with U.S. law. As always, we have a responsibility to support our constituents, uphold human rights, and protect innocent civilians. 

Republicans also brought a resolution to the floor, H. Res. 798, related to student conversations and protests on the ongoing conflict. While I agree with the thrust of the resolution that antisemitism is a major issue on college campuses, we are unable to support this resolution. As it is currently written, the resolution falsely implies that certain instances of antisemitism have gone unchallenged by university administrations, and its attack on Brandeis students is inaccurate and will be harmful to a number of Jewish students. I was pleased to see Senator Rosen and Blackburn's resolution condemning antisemitism on college campuses last week, and we wish the drafters of H. Res. 798 had followed their example. Let me be very clear: I strongly condemn hatred, antisemitism and I will continue to do everything I can to combat hatred and harassment at schools across the country. 

Lastly, earlier this week we voted on H.R. 340, which puts restrictions on funding sent to the Middle East. I absolutely support robust efforts to cut off financing from Hamas. They must be defeated through counter terrorist methods while keeping civilians safe. However, Republicans removed a humanitarian aid exemption from the bill that would have protected innocent Palestinian civilians' access to food, water, and medicine. To make it worse, on the floor of the House, the bill’s lead sponsor Brian Mast cruelly compared all Palestianans to Nazis on the House floor, further revealing the bad intentions behind the bill. Along with dozens of other Democrats, I could not support a bill intended to hurt children and withhold life saving aid.

I understand that we are all feeling the weight of the collective trauma and grief that these events have impressed upon us. I will continue to call for a de-escalation of violence, the immediate release of hostages, and measures that move us toward lasting security and ensure everyone can thrive. I hope you will join me in our ongoing fight for peace.

Peace and love,

Congressman Jamaal Bowman