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Jamaal Bowman Faces Long Odds in NY Democratic Primary Where His Anti-Israel Stance Has Taken Center Stage
US Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks during the National Action Network National Convention in New York City, US, April 7, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
US Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), a progressive lawmaker and prominent critic of Israel, is facing an uphill battle to secure a victory in his Democratic primary race on Tuesday.
Bowman, the representative of New York’s 16th Congressional District, will attempt to defend his congressional seat against Westchester County executive Mark Latimer. The progressive firebrand has drawn the ire of pro-Israel Democrats in recent months after issuing a series of harsh condemnations against the Jewish state and Zionists writ large.
In the months following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Bowman has accused the Jewish state of committing “genocide” in Gaza and enacting an “apartheid” regime in the West Bank. Bowman infamously dismissed the widely reported and corroborated allegations of Hamas terrorists raping Israeli women during the Oct. 7 onslaught as “propaganda” before being forced to walk back his remarks. The congressman has also voted against sending Israel much-needed military aid and, at a recent debate, asserted that the US government should “stop all funding” to Israel — including Iron Dome, an air defense system that saves Israeli lives from rockets and missiles launched by neighboring terrorist groups.
In a heated primary that has been largely defined by the two candidates’ position on Israel, Bowman finds himself as an underdog. Latimer, a self-described progressive who has positioned himself as a staunch ally of the Jewish state, is expected to cruise to an easy victory.
A June Emerson College poll shows Bowman trailing Latimer by 17 percentage points, 48 percent to 31 percent. The poll also revealed that NY-16 voters align with Latimer’s position on Israel more than Bowman’s by a margin of 45 percent to 29 percent.
Bowman’s repeated excoriations of Israel made him an exceptionally vulnerable candidate in the leafy suburbs of Westchester County, an affluent enclave dominated by moderate Democrats. Former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) opted to endorse Latimer over Bowman, citing Latimer’s support for Israel as a major reason.
“Jewish residents in my district who feel anxiety, fear, and anger due to Representative Bowman’s words and actions in particular and an overall climate in this country,” Jones said.
Furthermore, Bowman’s support also cratered among progressive Jewish voters. J-Street, a liberal Zionist advocacy group, ultimately walked back its endorsement of Bowman, citing “significant differences” on their positions on Israel.
“I was always having to be his defender,” said Danielle Tagger-Epstein, chair of the Rye City Democratic Committee. “And I could no longer defend his behavior.”
Additionally, Bowman’s vilification of the Jewish state led the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a bipartisan advocacy group that works to strengthen US-Israel ties, to insert itself into the NY-16 primary competition. AIPAC has poured a staggering $14.5 million into the race in an attempt to dislodge Bowman, making it the most expensive House primary contest of all time. In response, Bowman has spent the past few months attacking AIPAC, accusing the organization of being aligned with “racist” Republicans and specifically trying to remove “black and brown” members of Congress.
“We’re gonna show f—king AIPAC the motherf—king power of the South Bronx,” Bowman said at a campaign rally over the weekend.
“This race offers an unambiguous choice. George Latimer is a progressive, pro-Israel candidate while Jamaal Bowman has refused to support the Jewish state as it fights a moral and just war against Iranian terrorist proxies,” AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann said of the primary contest.
Some consider Tuesday’s primary a test of whether anti-Israel positions are still a liability with Democratic voters. Progressives fear that a Latimer victory could embolden moderate forces to pull the party back to the center on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In recent months, high-profile Democratic lawmakers have called on Israel to implement a “ceasefire” and abandon its mission to dismantle the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza.
“If Bowman wins, it might be interpreted by some as an indicator of where the Democratic Party broadly is headed on support for Israel — which is away from it,” said Daniel DiSalvo, a political scientist at City College of New York, according to Vox. “If Latimer wins, it might be interpreted as the other way, which is that there is still stronger support for Israel inside the Democratic Party.”
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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