An Illinois Democrat congressman who has praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said on Tuesday that “Palestinians have the right to resist occupation and seek self-determination.”
“I am deeply committed to peace and justice both domestically and internationally, and I am particularly concerned about the ongoing violence between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza, where thousands of innocent civilians, especially Palestinians, are bearing the brunt of brutal, unfathomable violence,” stated Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.).
“While Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself from the terrorist organization, Hamas, and from the recent attacks by Iran, Palestinians have the right to resist occupation and seek self-determination,” Davis said. “This long-standing conflict between these rival forces is highly complex and volatile, and the loss of civilian lives, particularly among the Palestinian population, is deeply distressing.”
The congressman added that “we cannot ignore the root causes of this Mideastern conflict, including the ongoing occupation and blockade of Gaza, which have contributed to the cycle of violence and suffering for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
He also referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “hardline approach,” which “at the very least, is disappointing as overt aggression tends to exacerbate tension and undermine prospects for peace.”
Davis has “laughed off his close relationship with Farrakhan, saying he had no problem with him and wasn’t concerned by Farrakhan’s antisemitism,” and the congressman is “open to the charge that he’s complicit in Farrakhan’s bigotry,” the Chicago Tribune editorial board wrote in 2018.
