Members of the left-wing “Squad” of House members from New York City openly celebrated Thursday after President Biden announced he was pausing some military aid for Israel to deter an offensive against Hamas-held Rafah — with more moderate voices keeping quiet publicly.
“Protesting is working. Keep fighting for a #CeasefireNow,” tweeted Bronx and Westchester Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who has been an outspoken supporter of anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University and elsewhere
Bronx and Queens Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also celebrated Biden telling CNN “I’m not supplying the weapons” for an offensive on Hamas’ final major stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
“Biden has not ‘lost his mind.’ He is upholding the word of the US,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X after Biden confirmed that he’s withholding shipments of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, and that he is considering a pause on artillery shells.
“There are 1.3 million people in Rafah. You do not need to slaughter them to go after Hamas. Biden stated the US red line was Rafah. It would make us weaker [and] the world less safe to let [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu], or anyone, cross it,” she wrote.
Brooklyn Rep. Nydia Velazquez posted on X: “An invasion of Rafah would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and endanger the lives of the over 1 million Palestinians that have sought refuge there. [Biden] is right to make this decision.”
South Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres was one of the few dissenters in the Gotham delegation.
“As the leader of the free world, America cannot claim that its commitment to Israel is ‘iron-clad’ and then proceed to withhold aid from Israel,” Torres wrote. “The mixed messaging makes a mockery of our credibility as an ally. No one will take our word seriously.”
Nassau County and Queens Rep. Tom Suozzi, issued an equivocating statement on X that read: “I urge the Biden Administration to resolve any differences with our ally Israel regarding arms shipments immediately.”
Rep. Grace Meng of Queens released a similar statement late Thursday, saying: “Israel and the Biden administration must get back on the same page so the hostages can be brought home and Hamas can be defeated. Together, we must continue working to protect civilians despite Hamas’ efforts to the contrary.”
New York City has more Jewish residents than any other city in the world — with an estimated 1.9 million in the metropolitan area — and has some of the most powerful House members, though those with the most influence were publicly silent.
Among those withholding immediate comment were House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks (D-Queens).
Both Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman, who serves parts of Lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn, and Jerry Nadler, of upper Manhattan, hadn’t posted anything on social media or their official websites as of midday Thursday and their spokesmen did not respond to emails seeking comment.
One Democratic source told The Post that many members of Congress were waiting for formal intelligence briefings before staking out a position — though some pro-Israel Democratic insiders bristled at what they viewed as insufficient pushback against Biden’s position.
It was not immediately clear where Reps. Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn and Adriano Espaillat of the Bronx and Manhattan stood on the matter.
New York City’s sole Republican member of Congress, Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, denounced Biden’s pivot.
“In an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, Congress authorized sending aid to our dear ally Israel, and it’s not up to President Biden under what conditions that aid is sent,” Malliotakis said in a statement.
“He needs to stop playing politics and appeasing the radicals in his party who are siding with Iran and Hamas.”
Long Island Republican Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota also slammed Biden, as did Republican Mike Lawler, whose district includes part of the Hudson Valley.
Garbarino said Biden “is emboldening Hamas while undermining Israel as it seeks the release of the hostages.”
“Biden’s decision, driven by political motives to placate his disenchanted progressive base and secure electoral votes in Michigan, is in stark contradiction to his previous commitments of support for Israel, particularly following the terrorist attacks on October 7th,” LaLota added.
“This is a complete betrayal,” Lawler said. “President Biden has fully abdicated his responsibility as commander-in-chief and the United States’ role as Israel’s closest ally with his outrageous decision…
“To vilify Israel and withhold necessary assistance while they fight against Hamas, Iranian proxies, and Iran itself is insane. And to do so based on purely political reasons? It’s heinous.”
“This is war, [Biden]. Grow a backbone,” tweeted D’Esposito, who followed up with a Thursday letter to the president that read, in part: “I look forward to you reversing course.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who has advocated heavy US military aid to Israel while also sharply criticizing Netanyahu, also did not immediately comment, nor did Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
In a rare one-on-one interview conducted by CNN’s Erin Burnett, Biden explained his stance by saying: “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those [Israeli] bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers.”
“We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure, in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks like came out of the Middle East recently,” added the president, referencing last month’s missile and drone sally by Iran.
“We’re not walking away from Israel’s security,” Biden said. “We’re walking away from Israel’s ability to wage war in those areas [of cities].”
