Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) had choice words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Saturday comments, calling him a “maniac” who “needs” to be removed from office.
The progressive Democrat initially discussed the Biden administration transferring 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs, 500 MK82 500-pound bombs and 25 F-35A fighter jets to Israel without notifying lawmakers, an arms package reported exclusively by the Washington Post on Friday.
Bowman said that Congress should have “absolutely” been notified.
He then criticized Israel’s handling of the war and the number of civilian casualties in Gaza, and slammed Israel’s leader for being a barrier to getting peace in the Israel-Hamas war.
“The majority of Gaza has already been destroyed through acts of collective punishment by this maniac, Benjamin Netanyahu,” Bowman told MSNBC’s Alex Witt on Saturday.
“I’m 100% with Senator Schumer. He needs to be removed. He is a blockade to a pathway to peace. And we need a ceasefire right now. That’s what we should be focused on humanitarian aid, not weapons.”
Bowman, during his response, referenced Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) remarks from two weeks ago when he called for new elections in Israel and criticized Netanyahu over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
The progressive Democrat renewed calls for a ceasefire, increased delivery of aid and said the ongoing situation in Gaza is a “humanitarian crisis.”
“We have hundreds of thousands of children starving to death in Gaza right now, as we speak, the majority of the American people support a permanent ceasefire,” Bowman said. “The majority of my district supports a permanent ceasefire. We need a permanent ceasefire. We need to bring in hundreds of trucks that are five miles away from Gaza right now of aid, to save as many lives as possible. There’s a humanitarian crisis.”