Squad Member Sparks Controversy With Call to End US Military Aid to Israel

One day, I’d like to be proud of the person who represents me in Congress, but it won’t happen anytime soon. My congresswoman, Cori Bush (D – MO), is a squad member. Bush issued a statement over the weekend regarding the Hamas attack on Israel, the group that controls the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, was prompted by this attack to declare war on Hamas.

Bush and the other members of his squad have demanded peace and “an immediate cease-fire” in response to the surprise attack. Bush called on the U.S. to “end its support for Israeli occupation and Apartheid.”

Bush, along with her team members Ilhan Omar, D-MN, and Rashida Talib, D-MI, have been criticized for their comments about the attacks in Israel. The death toll is currently around 1,000 Israelis. Bush’s statement was a standard “condemning”, of both the attacks and the loss of lives on both sides. Bush called for a de-escalation and a cease-fire, as well as the termination of U.S. support. Cori Bush is not a fool. She uses words such as “apartheid”, for a good reason. Her record is the reason.

Since the death of Michael Brown, Missouri, in 2014, my fellow Missourians have had to deal with Cori Bush and her antics. Bush appeared with her megaphone in front of police stations in 2020 after the death of George Floyd and led protesters in the streets. To the surprise of her Democratic colleagues, Bush still supported the defunding of the police in October last year. She also supports reparations for African Americans.

Bush has discovered a group of progressives among his squad. In the past, they have made sarcastic and cruel remarks about Jews and Israel. Omar has made antisemitic comments for a long time. In 2012, Omar said that “Israel hypnotized a world.” She suggested in 2019 that American legislators had been bribed, and said, “It’s about the Benjamins baby.” Her latest statement called Israel’s reaction to the attacks a “war crime.” Tlaib released a similar statement on Sunday. She said, “I mourn the Palestinian and Israeli deaths yesterday, today, and every day,” but did not mention Hamas nor condemn the attacks.

Cori Bush and Tlaib were too much for her Democratic colleagues. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is Jewish, was not shy about his criticism of Bush and Tlaib, as well as the end of U.S. support for Israel. He noted that two of “his colleagues” had called on America to stop its assistance to Israel despite images of Israeli women, children, men, and elderly, Americans included, being murdered by Hamas-backed radical Iranian terrorists. He continued:

As hostages, families were violently dragged from their homes. This is a terrorist attack that deliberately targets innocent civilians. I am sickened that Israelis are cleaning the blood from their families who were shot in their own homes while Congress is denying funding to our democratically-aligned ally, and allowing innocent civilians to suffer.

Rep. Richie Torres (D-NY) also said of Bush and Tlaib, “Shame on anyone who glorifies as ‘resistance’ the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. It is reprehensible and repulsive.”

Brian Williams, a state senator from St. Louis, who is also close to Cori Bush’s home, disagreed with Bush.

Terrorism is an enemy to all people. Hamas terrorists killed hundreds of women, children, and Israeli civilians. It’s not about resisting occupation. Fear and hatred manifested in violence. Missouri stands with Israel. America stands with Israel.

Cori Bush’s district includes many diverse communities and neighborhoods, some of which are predominantly Jewish. Has she visited her Jewish constituency to find out how they feel about this statement? Not likely. She has returned home, but is she able to provide comfort or assistance to her constituents? Not likely. You wonder if Israel attacked Gaza the same way, would Cori and her squad buddies have been so eager to discuss an immediate ceasefire and a “just and lasting” peace? Not likely.

Could 2025 be a year when I can say that I am proud of the member of Congress who represents me? I’m optimistic.