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SvennoJ 5 days ago
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AIPAC spent $20m ‘to unseat my brother’: Cori Bush

A day after US Representative Jamaal Bowman lost his district’s Democratic primary, his fellow Congress member Cori Bush issued a statement denouncing the outside spending in the race.

Bowman’s loss was historic. More than $20m was spent in his New York primary race, as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) — a pro-Israel lobby — and other forces sought to advance the candidacy of a centrist candidate. Bowman and Bush have both been outspoken critics of Israel’s war in Gaza.

“20 million dollars. That was the staggering price tag put on unseating Jamaal Bowman,” Bush wrote on social media. She said it was evidence of “just how desperate these billionaire extremists are in their attempts to buy our democracy, promote their own gain, and silence the voices of progress and justice”.

Progressive groups said the battle to unseat Bowman was a direct result of his vocal criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Bowman is part of a small but growing number of voices in Congress questioning the US’s commitment to Israel, its “ironclad” ally. He ultimately lost Tuesday’s Democratic primary to George Latimer, an executive for Westchester County.


Pro-Israel groups endorse US challenger to Israel critic Cori Bush

Late on Tuesday, incumbent US Representative Jamaal Bowman lost to a fellow Democrat in his New York primary, after the pro-Israel lobby group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent millions of dollars to unseat him.

But other progressives face similarly tight races — a fact underscored by a new poll out on Wednesday.

Cori Bush, a US Congresswoman representing Missouri, is headed for her own contentious primary in August, and Wednesday’s poll shows her trailing her centrist rival Wesley Bell.

He was ahead of Bush by one point, with 43 percent support to her 42 percent, a difference well within the margin of error. The poll was conducted by the Mellman Group, on behalf of the pro-Israel group Democratic Majority for Israel.

The publication The Hill, however, said the poll could indicate weakness in Bush’s re-election efforts. “This is a notable improvement for Bell from January, when a poll by the firm found Bush leading by 16 points,” it said.

Like Bowman, Bush has been outspoken against Israel and has called for a ceasefire in its war in Gaza. The Hill reported that Bell’s website states that he supports Israel’s right to defend itself and “pursue those responsible for conducting the October 7 attack”.

Pro-Palestinian protests erupt outside UK general election debate

As UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer prepared to debate on Wednesday night, protesters gathered outside the debate venue in Nottingham to show their support for the Palestinians facing war in Gaza.

Some demonstrators waved Palestinian flags. Others raised banners reading, “Condemn genocide.”

On the debate stage, host Mishail Husain addressed the shouts, which could be heard from within the venue. "If you can hear any noises, ladies and gentlemen or anyone at home, there is a protest taking place outside, which is also an aspect of our democracy and people exercising their freedom of speech,” she said.


Amazon summit disrupted by pro-Palestine supporters over Project Nimbus

Pro-Palestine activists and technology workers have disrupted the Amazon Web Services Summit in Washington, DC, to protest Amazon and Google’s $1.2bn contract with the Israeli government and military called Project Nimbus.

The contract, signed in 2021, aims to provide cloud computing infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology services to Israel, which has faced condemnation for its war on Gaza.

United Nations experts and several countries have accused Israel of inflicting a “genocide” on the Palestinian people as part of its military offensive.

Since the contract was signed, Amazon and Google workers have called on their companies to end Project Nimbus and carried out demonstrations in protest.