Shontel Brown being supported by Hakeem Jeffries in 2022, Facebook/Richie Torres, Twitter/X
On Nov. 4, the latest Israeli military attacks resulted in the deaths of several civilians at a U.N. shelter and hospital in the primary conflict area within the Gaza Strip. This sparked increased international outrage due to the rising death toll and worsening humanitarian situation.
The recent attacks coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to the region, where he held discussions with Arab foreign ministers in Jordan, following his talks in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli military has pressured the approximately 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza to relocate to the southern areas, Time reported. They have intensified their bombardment in the northern regions while simultaneously tightening their grip on Gaza City. While Israel claims that its actions in the south are aimed at targeting Hamas, many individuals have lost their lives.
Black Twitter had lots to say on the bombing.
Although the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s saw support from many Jewish organizations, Black liberation advocates have consistently identified a shared aspiration with the Palestinian cause, a desire for a life free from violence. This connection was notably evident during the racial justice uprisings of 2020, as murals honoring George Floyd emerged in both Gaza and the West Bank. Simultaneously, in the United States, the display of Palestinian flags became a common sight at Black Lives Matter protests. In 2021, the official Black Lives Matter organization issued a statement affirming its “solidarity with Palestinians” and its opposition to “settler colonialism in all its forms,” The Nation reported.
Some have called out various Black politicians for their ties with American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), such as Hakeem Jeffries, Shontel Brown, and Ritchie Torres.
Jeffries has served as House Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. He has been the U.S. representative for New York’s 8th congressional district since 2013 and was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012. In August, he came under fire for taking a trip to Israel sponsored by the hardline lobbying group.
Brown has served as the U.S. representative for Ohio’s 11th congressional district since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Brown previously served as a member of the Cuyahoga County Council, representing the 9th district. Last year, the Democratic Majority for Israel and AIPAC’s Super PAC United Democracy Project spent close to $1.5 million to boost Brown to the finish line, according to Forward.
Torres is the U.S. representative for New York’s 15th congressional district. The district covers most of the South Bronx. It is one of the smallest districts by area in the country, covering only a few square miles. He has been called Israel’s loudest House supporter by Politico. And Intelligence Online said about Torres, “Torres has become a hero to the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC with his support for the country’s military campaign against Hamas.”
The Moguldom Nation tweeted, “See, a lot of you have more Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in you, than Netanyahu. People Like Hakeem Jeffriees, Ritchie Torres, and Shontel Brown, have more Netanyahu in them, than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Based on who is underneath their political cap table, they have no choice.”
In a separate tweet, The Moguldom Nation posted, “Ritchie Torres & Hakeem Jeffries compete with each other: who can lie and tap dance the most. There is going to be a wider separation between the public and politicians, based on how the politicians are structured.”
Twitter/X user Mohammed Saud called out Black American leaders for not speaking out for Palestinians, “We live in two-face world, in the USA they speak about liberty and justice, they do everything against cops who killed innocent black people but do nothing about Palestine and war crimes by Israel army. Where is your hypocrite leaders?”
But another tweeter noted that Black leaders who do speak out get bashed. PHILLY_BlackSoldier posted, “Number 1 the entire us media is attack the black community/ BLM And multiple black leaders for standing with Gaza publicly as we been doing always.”
Shontel Brown being supported by Hakeem Jeffries in 2022, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/hakeem.jeffries/Richie Torres, Twitter/X, https://twitter.com/RitchieTorres
