House Democrat Given Brutal Fact Check on Israel by MSNBC’s Ali Velshi and Others

Evan Agostini/Invision for USFRA/AP Images & AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) received a brutal fact check from MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi and others after he claimed checkpoints that separate Muslims and Jews in Israel are “as fictional as Jewish space lasers.”

After Torres’ New York colleague Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) told MSNBC, “Myself, as a sitting member of Congress, could not walk through certain checkpoints in the West Bank because I wasn’t Jewish,” Torres tweeted, “Jewish checkpoints are as fictional as Jewish space lasers.”

Torres proceeded to be fact-checked by several social media users, including Velshi, who told Torres that he himself “was stopped at one and not allowed to proceed because I am Muslim,” while his wife, “who is Jewish was allowed to pass.”

In another post, Velshi added, “I was one of those people – separated from my Jewish wife because I am Muslim, and prevented from visiting the Tomb of the Patriarchs, arbitrarily. Anyone who thinks there isn’t apartheid in the West Bank need only go to Hebron. That’s EXACTLY how apartheid worked.”

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) tweeted, “I was with @JamaalBowmanNY in Israel/Palestine a few years back. We weren’t allowed through a checkpoint in Hebron. Very young men with guns asked if we were Jewish or Muslim. Tense as they refused to answer questions. Guessing kids with guns as security is bad idea period. True.”

Meanwhile, J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami weighed in, “I led the trip with @JamaalBowmanNY. It’s a fact: there are checkpoints in Hebron where security separates who can walk where by religion. Other checkpoints keep roads ‘sterile’ of Palestinians. I’ve been there dozens of times. Join me.”

After Ben-Ami added, “If a member of congress can travel numerous times to Israel and West Bank and return with impression that there are no restrictions on Palestinian movement but the real issue is that Jews are ‘prohibited’ from Area A by the IDF, they should ask the trip’s sponsor for a refund,” Torres proceeded to get into a spat with him.

In a since-deleted post, Torres replied, “I never said there were no restrictions on Palestinian movement. Nor did I say that the real issue is that Jews are prohibited from Area A. I simply said I have never seen signage restricting areas to Jews only. If the purpose of your trip is to incite hatred for Israel, you’re surely succeeding.”

Ben-Ami snapped back, “How dare you accuse me of inciting hatred for Israel. My great grandparents founded Petah Tikva; my grandparents Tel Aviv. My father and father in law fought to create the state. I lost friends Oct 7; my family is called up. Security w/ guns not signs enforce these restrictions.”

Over the past few months, Torres has repeatedly found himself in conflict with his Democratic colleagues, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), over the issue of Israel and Palestine

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