Bronx Neighbors for Palestine held a “Make Art to Let Gaza Live” event in the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood, by the Reservoir Oval West entrance, on Sunday afternoon, June 9. The event was organized in efforts to raise awareness about the plight of everyday Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank amid the ongoing war with Israel.

 

Many are either refugees or are living under bombardment amid the latest war, following the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas at the Nova Music Festival and in the surrounding area of the southeastern section of Israel. “We are a group of people living or working in The Bronx, coming together to stand against U.S. government complicity in the genocide occurring in Gaza,” a statement on a flier advertising the event read.

The Oct. 7, 2023, attacks resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli officials, while dozens more Israelis were taken hostage. Some have since been released while others remain in captivity. Meanwhile, the military response by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to Al Jazeera, and injury to more than 70,000, with some 10,000 missing, presumed dead under the rubble of the destroyed territory.

 

Earlier this week, CNN reported that in an operation carried out by Israel to rescue four more Israeli hostages, Gazan officials said more than 200 Palestinians were killed. Additionally, Al Jazeera also reported that Israelis have now killed at least 502 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank area of Israel since Oct. 7, 2023.

 

Meanwhile, many New York political and other leaders condemned a protest held outside a Lower Manhattan art exhibit held on Monday, June 10, commemorating the victims of the Nova Music Festival terror attacks. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators reportedly lit smoke canisters and flares outside the exhibit. “You do not call for peace and wave flags of Hamas,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said of the protest, according to a report by CBS News. “You do not call for peace and then come to a memorial site. That’s like you are desecrating the graves [of the victims].”

At the Norwood art event, around 20 adults and children showed up and drew artwork on the Oval’s pavement, and also carried flags and banners, some of which read, “AIPAC gave $514,002 to Ritchie Torres who opposes a ceasefire.” According to its website, AIPAC or the American Israel Public Affairs Committee “stands with those who stand with Israel.” An extract reads, “The AIPAC PAC is a bipartisan, pro-Israel political action committee, the largest pro-Israel PAC in America and has contributed more resources directly to candidates than any other PAC. 98% of AIPAC-backed candidates won their general election races in 2022.”

 

We reached out to the congressman for comment on the group’s comments/banner. It is not the first time that protestors have made this type of comment about Torres, who has been vociferous in his support of Israel. While we did not receive an immediate response as of press date, we had previously reported on similar allegations of AIPAC funding to the Torres campaign in the context of a prior protest held outside Torres’ office in December 2023. A further protest was organized outside the congressman’s constituency office in March, as reported.

 

When we contacted Torres on that occasion for comment, he said, “The notion that AIPAC has contributed a half a million dollars to my campaign is a factually false claim based on a misunderstanding of federal campaign finance law. AIPAC has both a PAC and a SuperPAC. The PAC CANNOT contribute more than the legal limit of $10,000, and the SuperPAC has spent nothing on my behalf.”

When Norwood News previously reviewed the congressman’s campaign contributions, as reported, we found that 18.1 percent of contributions to his campaign were from AIPAC, a total of $222,040, the second highest contributor after Act Blue (a Democratic Party PAC). We reached back out to the congressman for comment at the time. We did not receive an immediate response.

The congressman recently responded to comments made on social media on Jewish support for Gaza by actor and former candidate for New York governor, Cynthia Nixon.