The current humanitarian crisis in Gaza went unmentioned during Sen. Cory Booker's 25-hour protest.
While the United States praised Senator Booker for his camaraderie, his silence on the ongoing Gaza-Israel conflict speaks volumes — especially as he continues to benefit from lobbying ties, including money received from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Since the start of Senator Booker’s political career, he’s received approximately $877,763 in contributions from pro-Israel lobbying groups, so his silence on Gaza is no surprise.
Although AIPAC does not donate “directly,” it bundles and channels money through its network of wealthy donors, including GOP megadonors with ties to President Donald Trump. That’s essentially how Booker ends up with nearly a million dollars in support while dodging accountability.
Like many, I admired Cory Booker for his heartfelt commitment to advocating for immigrants and minorities, particularly as a representative of the Newark area – home to many undocumented migrants. He has consistently fought for their representation and rights, standing as a man who has long supported marginalized communities with passion and integrity.
As I grew up, my passion for immigration rights was shaped by watching Democrats like Cory Booker, and other leaders who stood firmly for marginalized communities. Today, that same passion is challenged by the heartbreaking reality of yet another community facing the threat of forced migration out of their homelands.
How can we be pro-immigrant and fail to protect those living in their native land, being actively displaced illegally, while also contributing to the fueling of this displacement? This contradiction diminishes the very values we claim to support.
The forced displacement of Palestinians from their homelands — particularly in cases like that of the Kisiya family in the West Bank — at the hands of Israeli settlers is a sinister injustice. Even with legal documents proving their entitlement to their property, the Israeli government has abused its power, attempting to demolish their home multiple times illegally. The government's actions have even condoned the forced removal of these families, furthering the cycle of displacement and suffering.
The Palestinians in the West Bank living under conditions parallel to apartheid, are subjected to discriminatory laws that make it difficult for them to survive — such as being subjected to several travel bans and checkpoints either when crossing borders or even navigating their own country.
We don’t get to pick and choose when to stand for justice.
If we claim to stand with the oppressed, that has to mean all oppressed people, including those the world would rather forget.
Complicity is when you stay silent, even as someone whose ancestors have faced oppression themselves — and whose ancestors were also the perpetrators of the violence that caused it.
We owe it to those being displaced, ignored and dehumanized to speak with clarity and act with intention.
Accountability is the first step. If we want to break the cycle, we must start now.
The opinions desk can be reached at opinions@ubspectrum.com
