For Immediate Release

Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (NY-16) released the following statement:

In this critical moment, we need to engage with peace, not weapons. I unequivocally condemn the Iranian military’s attack on Israel, just as I condemn the Israeli military attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu that sparked this dangerous escalation. While there were no fatalities, shrapnel from an Iranian missile did severely injure Amina al-Hassouni, the seven-year old Bedouin girl, and I am praying for her swift recovery. I am deeply concerned by those demanding military reprisal. That is why I stand in support of President Biden’s immediate call to de-escalate this situation, and his actions to prevent the further spread of violence in the region.

It is clearer than ever that Benjamin Netanyahu’s warmongering is putting the lives of millions of civilians at risk, including the Israeli people. It is why even as I condemned Hamas’ horrific attacks on October 7, I also called for immediate de-escalation and a ceasefire. We cannot condemn violence on one hand and then condone it in the other. The collective punishment leveled against the Palestinian people as well as Israeli military actions in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq have created a dangerous powder keg that threatens to become a regional war. Netanyahu is willing to endanger the lives of millions just to draw the US deeper into a conflict whose flame he fans.

The path to peace starts with ensuring safety for people in the region. A majority of Americans want a permanent ceasefire, and support for Netanyahu in both the US and Israel shrinks by the day. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are starving to death in Gaza right now, including tens of thousands of children. Millions across the region fear being drawn into a bloody conflict orchestrated by madmen. Antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise in our very own country. We need de-escalation, restraint, a lasting ceasefire, and diplomacy. It is the only way forward, not just for Palestinians and Israelis, but us all.