Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) walked out of an interview on the subject of Israel and Gaza, where he claimed the interviewer “didn’t know what [he] was talking about.”
“I feel like I’m here to be lectured now,” Torres said on The Adam Friedland Show, published on Wednesday.
YouTuber Adam Friedland, who is Jewish, told Torres about his experience living in Israel. Friedland explained that he “grew up a Zionist” but also saw how Palestinian people were “demeaned and dehumanized and surveilled constantly,” which prompted him to sympathize with Palestinians. According to Friedland, “hatred of Jewish people has exploded” in America.
“I think it’s because of our support of what looks to be an absolute brutality [in Gaza],” Friedland said.
“You think that’s a justification for antisemitism? You think Israeli government policy is a justification for antisemitism? My view is there’s no justification for antisemitism,” Torres said.
“If you have disagreements with the Israeli government, you should voice your criticism of the Israeli government. But there is no justification for intimidation or harassment against American Jews,” Torres said.
“I’m telling you as a Jew right now that we are receiving a lot more hate because of what the people with a flag that has a Jewish star on are doing to other people right now,” Friedland said in reference to the war in Gaza.
The interview ended without a handshake between the two. Friedland apologized several times but insisted his “conscience is clear” in advocating for civilians in Gaza.
“You’ve just been hostile,” Torres told Friedland. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. It’s just been a gotcha interview.”
“I think you had an agenda to speak about this,” Torres said. “It’s not my No. 1 topic. I was not elected on Israel. You don’t get elected in the South Bronx and the Northeast Bronx [on Israel.]”
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This interview comes as Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin retracted a pro-Israel resolution this week after a conflicting resolution that called to recognize a state of Palestine failed. Torres has issued increasingly urgent calls for humanitarian relief.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Torres for comment.