Posted on 02/17/22
| News Source: i24
'Squad' member drops support for bill to help expand historic pact between Israel and Arab countries
New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman withdrew his support for a bill that would help to expand the Abraham Accords, claiming that the agreement "isolates" Palestinians.
The Democrat, a member of the progressive "Squad" on Capitol Hill, announced his intention to not back the bill in a letter to constituents.
Bowman represents New York's 16th congressional district, defeating 16-term incumbent Eliot Engel in the 2020 Democratic primary.
He has been less critical of Israeli policies than other "Squad" members such as Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American Democrat from Michigan who called Israel an "apartheid state" and voted against funding for the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Bowman voted for the Iron Dome funding.
In the letter, he said that some of the incentives of the Abraham Accords go against his values, such as the United Arab Emirates scoring the sale of advanced fighter jets and the US recognizing Morocco's claim to Western Sahara.
The Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
The legislation to work on expanding the circle of Arab and Muslim countries establishing diplomatic ties with the Jewish state has overwhelming bipartisan support and is expected to pass.