Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) tore into former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley Wednesday, calling her a “disgusting human being” after she was photographed writing “Finish them” on an Israeli bomb during a visit to the country this week.
The message on the shell, photographed and celebrated by Israel’s former U.N. ambassador Danny Danon, read “Finish them! America [heart] Israel always, Nikki Haley.”
Bowman harshly criticized Haley for the comment in a CNN interview, which comes as criticism of Israel’s operations in Rafah has increased after an airstrike over the weekend killed over 45 people.
“Nikki Haley is disgusting. She’s a disgusting human being to do that,” he told CNN’s Abby Phillip. “That’s genocidal language and it’s the language that has the American people turning against our government.”
“Why do we continue to support not just the consistent attacks in Gaza, but the forever wars?” Bowman continued. “There are people in our country, their entire lives, me included, it seems like we’re constantly at war with someone spending trillions, killing millions, while people are suffering and starving and dying right here in our country.”
The progressive congressman also turned his criticism against President Biden for continued support of Israel despite quickly rising civilian casualties in the conflict and allegations of war crimes brought against the Israeli military.
Last week, the U.N.-backed International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop its operations in Rafah because of the impact on civilians. The court is also overseeing a case labeling the conflict a genocide.
“U.S. weapons are burning infant children alive and so he has to respond,” Bowman urged Biden. “We can not send another weapon or another dollar to Israel and [Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu at this point because they have been moving forward with what the ICJ has called a plausible genocide, and everyone sees it. My district sees it, the country sees it.”
Bowman faces a tight primary for his district, where the Israel-Hamas war has taken center stage after he has openly called for a cease-fire in the conflict. His opponent George Latimer, the Westchester County executive, has strongly backed Israel and received support from AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group.
