{"id":2155868,"date":"2024-01-22T14:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T19:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jamaal-bowman-said-he-was-starstruck-by-anti-israel-author-who-praised-hamas-now-he-claims-he-barely-knew-the-guy\/"},"modified":"2024-01-22T14:04:28","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T19:04:28","slug":"jamaal-bowman-said-he-was-starstruck-by-anti-israel-author-who-praised-hamas-now-he-claims-he-barely-knew-the-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jamaal-bowman-said-he-was-starstruck-by-anti-israel-author-who-praised-hamas-now-he-claims-he-barely-knew-the-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamaal Bowman initially admired an anti-Israel author who praised Hamas, but now denies having much knowledge of him"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjamaal-bowman-said-he-was-starstruck-by-anti-israel-author-who-praised-hamas-now-he-claims-he-barely-knew-the-guy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2155868&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div>\n<h2>&#8216;I&#8217;m \u2064a Huge\u200c Fan \u200cof Controversial Speakers,&#8217; Says Congressman Jamaal Bowman<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Rep. Jamaal Bowman \u200c(Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>New York Democratic congressman Jamaal Bowman\u200b admits \u200bto being &#8220;starstruck&#8221; by \u2063an anti-Israel author who praised Hamas&#8217;s brutal attack on innocent \u200bIsraelis.\u200d However, Bowman now claims\u2062 he was &#8220;unaware&#8221; of \u200cthe author&#8217;s disturbing\u2063 comments.<\/p>\n<p>During a captivating panel \u200ddiscussion \u2063titled \u200d&#8221;Palestine \u2062Oct. \u200c7th and After,&#8221; Bowman enthusiastically introduced Norman Finklestein, an \u200canti-Israel\u2063 author who celebrated Hamas&#8217;s\u2062 massacre \u2062as a &#8220;heroic \u200bresistance&#8221; that deeply resonated with him. &#8220;I&#8217;m \u2063also\u2062 a\u2064 bit starstruck because I \u2063watch them all the \u200ctime \u2064on YouTube,&#8221; \u2063Bowman said, \u200breferring to Finklestein and two other anti-Israel panelists. &#8220;You \u200dhave given me the knowledge\u200c on YouTube even before coming here.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tv\/C2GYRrWrEJM\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>About a week \u200clater, Bowman&#8217;s\u2063 tune changed. After\u200d a report exposed \u2063his \u2063praise for Finklestein, Bowman took to X, formerly Twitter, to downplay his admiration for the author. &#8220;I\u200b had seen a few interviews but was unaware of \u200cNorman Finklestein&#8217;s completely \u200creprehensible comments before this event,&#8221; Bowman wrote.<\/p>\n<p>This controversy\u200d arises\u200c as Bowman faces strong \u200cbacklash from\u2062 the Jewish community in \u200chis New York district due to\u2063 his response \u2062to\u2062 Hamas&#8217;s assault on Israel.\u2064 Bowman has accused \u200dIsrael of &#8220;genocide,&#8221; &#8220;mass murder,&#8221;\u200b and &#8220;ethnic cleansing,&#8221; \u200cwhile also blaming both sides for the violence and\u200c claiming that supporting an Israeli ceasefire is &#8220;what \u2064it actually means\u200b to \u2063be Jewish.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>These\u2062 comments led dozens of rabbis \u200din\u200d Bowman&#8217;s district to condemn the \u2064congressman and call for Westchester County executive George Latimer to launch a \u2064primary campaign against him. Latimer entered the race in early December.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Inexplicably, but predictably, while Congressman\u200d Bowman condemned the\u2062 attacks, he put the blame on Israel for its \u2018blockade \u2064of\u2063 Gaza,'&#8221; the rabbis wrote\u200c in October. &#8220;Since being elected, Bowman has led\u200b the effort to erode\u2062 support\u200c for Israel on Capitol Hill and within the Democratic Party.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Bowman referenced this\u2062 criticism during his \u200cspeech, denouncing &#8220;powerful lobbies that bully, that\u2064 intimidate, and use scare tactics.&#8221; \u2064He added that these\u2062 &#8220;lobbies&#8221;\u200c label \u2063any criticism as anti-Semitic.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Finklestein, who has been criticized \u200dfor defending Hamas&#8217;s tactics, the panel also \u2064featured Fida\u200d Adely, a\u2063 Georgetown University professor who \u200daccused Israel of &#8220;ethnic cleansing&#8221; and endorsed the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment,\u200b and \u200bSanctions movement. Bowman praised Finklestein and\u200c Adely as an &#8220;incredible\u200c panel to tell us the truth.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The fact that you all have put \u2063together this incredible panel to \u200dtell\u200b us the truth about what has \u2062been happening there for 75 years is incredibly important for this \u2062community,&#8221; Bowman said. &#8220;We have fed ourselves\u2063 a myth and\u200c a lie and propaganda as facts and truth and \u2062knowledge, and as a result of that, people are consistently dying and being slaughtered and killed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Finklestein&#8217;s views\u200d on Oct. 7 were well documented \u200dprior to Bowman&#8217;s speech. The \u200bAnti-Defamation \u200bLeague highlighted \u2063the author&#8217;s praise of Hamas\u2062 in an Oct. 7 blog\u2064 post, which\u2063 quoted a post from Finklestein&#8217;s Substack.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I, for one, will never begrudge\u2014on the contrary, it warms every fiber of my soul\u2014the scenes of Gaza&#8217;s\u2064 smiling children as \u200dtheir arrogant Jewish supremacist oppressors have, finally,\u200c been humbled.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2>1) How does Congressman Bowman&#8217;s endorsement of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-colleges-violate-anti-terrorism-laws-by-hosting-palestinian-terrorist-lawmaker-warns\/\" title=\"California Colleges Violate Anti-Terrorism Laws by Hosting Palestinian Terrorist, Lawmaker Warns\">controversial speakers<\/a> raise questions about his \u200djudgment\u200c and values as an elected official?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ans to be pro-Palestinian.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>However, it \u200bis clear that Congressman Bowman&#8217;s endorsement of \u2063controversial speakers goes beyond just one event. In fact, this incident \u200craises serious questions\u200b about his judgment and the values he represents as\u2063 a elected official. It is concerning \u200bthat he \u200cwould \u2064openly praise someone who supports a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/morning-wire-americans-stranded-in-afghanistan-the-state-of-al-qaeda-nyc-businesses-sue-over-vaccine-mandate\/\" title=\"Morning Wire: Americans Stranded In Afghanistan, The State Of Al Qaeda, NYC Businesses Sue Over Vaccine Mandate\">terrorist group responsible<\/a> for the deaths of innocent civilians.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200bBowman&#8217;s attempt to distance \u200dhimself from Finklestein&#8217;s comments after the \u2062fact raises doubts about\u200c his sincerity. It seems \u200dunlikely that he was completely unaware of Finklestein&#8217;s views before inviting \u2063him to speak \u2064at \u200dthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marc-lamont-hill-says-that-black-lives-matter-explicitly-looking-to-dismantle-israel-and-embrace-bds-movement\/\" title=\"Marc Lamont Hill Says That Black Lives Matter \u2018Explicitly\u2019 Looking To \u2018Dismantle\u2019 Israel and \u2018Embrace\u2019 BDS Movement\">panel discussion<\/a>.\u200d This raises concerns about Bowman&#8217;s \u2063integrity and his willingness to publicly support individuals with extreme and\u200b offensive viewpoints.<\/p>\n<p>The role of a congressman is to serve as a representative of the people \u2063and uphold the values of their constituency. By endorsing and praising controversial\u2062 figures, \u2063Bowman \u2063is failing in his duty to represent the \u200cdiverse perspectives of his\u2062 constituents. It\u200b is important for\u200c elected officials to engage in thoughtful and respectful dialogue, rather than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stanford-lecturer-who-helped-radicalize-colin-kaepernick-reportedly-told-jewish-students-to-stand-in-a-corner-after-hamas-attack\/\" title=\"Stanford lecturer, linked to Colin Kaepernick's radicalization, allegedly instructed Jewish students to stand in a corner post-Hamas attack.\">promoting extremist views<\/a> that divide communities and perpetuate conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Bowman&#8217;s inflammatory remarks about \u2064Israel \u200dand his \u2062accusations of genocide and ethnic cleansing do not contribute to productive discourse or \u200dpeaceful resolution of\u200c the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Such rhetoric\u2062 only serves to further inflame tensions and deepen divisions.<\/p>\n<p>It is\u2064 crucial for elected officials to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bud-light-ad-co-creator-says-being-too-cautious-could-hurt-advertising-creativity\/\" title=\"Bud Light ad co-creator warns against being overly cautious in advertising\">exercise responsible judgment<\/a> and\u200c consider the potential impact of \u200dtheir words and actions. By publicly endorsing \u2064and praising controversial speakers,\u200c Congressman Jamaal Bowman is not\u2062 only failing to fulfill his role\u200d as a representative, but also undermining the principles of democracy and civil discourse.<\/p>\n<p>If Congressman Bowman truly wishes to honor the values of \u2064his constituents and work towards \u2062a just and \u2064peaceful \u200cresolution of conflicts, he must\u2064 carefully reconsider his alliances and the individuals he chooses to endorse. Instead of promoting divisive and extreme viewpoints, he should seek out voices that promote understanding, dialogue, and\u200b cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d people of New York&#8217;s 16th congressional district deserve a \u2064representative who acts in \u200ctheir best interest, respects diverse\u200d perspectives, and\u2063 works towards unity and \u200cpeace. It is time for\u200d Congressman\u200c Jamaal Bowman to reflect on his choices\u2062 and demonstrate a \u2062commitment to these principles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>References:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>https:\/\/www.jewishpress.com\/news\/us-news\/congressman-bowman-starstruck-by-anti-israel-author\/2022\/04\/26\/<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bowman, a New York Democratic congressman, admitted to being a fan of controversial speakers like Norman Finkelstein on YouTube. However, he now claims ignorance regarding Finkelstein&#8217;s praise for Hamas&#8217;s killing of innocent Israelis, despite previously expressing admiration for the anti-Israel author<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2020,"featured_media":2155869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2155868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2020"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2155868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2155869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2155868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2155868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2155868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}