Progressive U.S. congressman says Abraham Accords 'isolate' Palestinians

Squad member drops support for bill to help expand historic pact between Israel and Arab countries, says some incentives listed in agreement go against his values
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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.
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    • The Democrat, a member of the progressive Squad — a collection of lawmakers of color on Capitol Hill — announced in a letter to constituents of his intention to not back the bill.
    2 View gallery
    U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman speaks during his primary-night party, in New York, June 23, 2020    U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman speaks during his primary-night party, in New York, June 23, 2020
    U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman speaks during his primary-night party, in New York, June 23, 2020
    (Photo: AP)
    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 U.S. recognizing Morocco's claim to Western Sahara.
    2 View gallery
    L-R: Bahrain FM Abdullatif al-Zayani, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Emirati FM Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House     L-R: Bahrain FM Abdullatif al-Zayani, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Emirati FM Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House
    L-R: Bahrain FM Abdullatif al-Zayani, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Emirati FM Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan sign the Abraham Accords at the White House, September 16, 2020
    (Photo: AFP)
    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.

    Reprinted with permission from i24NEWS.
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    “Isolating Palestinians”
    Exactly, my fine feathered communist friend: The plo was terrorizing the Arab world, shaking then down for $billions, they were the most powerful Arabs around and the whole Arab world was afraid of them. They had more power in the UN that the US. No peace in the whole Middle East if they didn’t want it (and they didn’t want it) Came along a certain orange man who said, enough! They can’t terrorize the world, we will have peace without them and they cannot control the world.
    David| 03.15.22
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    Jamaal chooses to not understand the issues. Typical...
    David| 02.19.22
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