Three weeks after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel, Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres says he remains in a state of shock. 

“Not since 9/11 have I seen as much grief and trauma and shock as I've seen in the Jewish community,” the Democratic lawmaker said in an interview in his Capitol Hill office earlier this week. 

Torres’s district includes the heavily Jewish Riverdale section of the Bronx, but he has long been outspoken in his support for America’s Middle East ally, a cause which he says is about “human decency.”

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Ritchie Torres' staunch advocacy for Israel stands out. He is 35 years old and a member of the Progressive Caucus in Congress - this as a growing number of young progressive Democrats have become increasingly critical of Israel. 

  • Torres argues that he represents the mainstream of American politics, pointing to the pro-Israel stances of Preisdent Joe Biden and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

  • “For many people, Israel might be a foreign affair , but for my Jewish constituents, it's deeply personal to them. It's central to their identity,” Torres said, noting the heavily Jewish Riverdale section of his congressional district.

He has visited Israel five times, dating back to his years in the New York City Council. 

“For many people, Israel might be a foreign affair, a foreign issue, but for my Jewish constituents, it's deeply personal to them. It's central to their identity,” he said. 

Even so, his staunch advocacy for Israel stands out. He is 35 years old and a member of the Progressive Caucus in Congress - this, as a growing number of young progressive Democrats have become increasingly critical of Israel. 

One of them, Rep. Ilhan Omar, has openly criticized Torres for his pro-Israel advocacy amid Israel’s retaliatory strikes on the Gaza strip. 

“We must not lose sight of the causes of the war. The cause of the war is not Israel, the cause of the war is Hamas. Hamas is the aggressor,” Torres said. 

That advocacy has been so persistent, including on social media, that Torres’ critics have demonstrated outside his Bronx office - scenes of which he posted online, too.

Torres argues that he represents the mainstream of American politics, pointing to the pro-Israel stances of Preisdent Joe Biden and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 

“The media has to be careful not to mistake a visible vocal minority on Twitter for a majority of Democrats or a majority of the American people,” Torres said. 

Torres supports a two-state solution, believing it to be the “progressive” outcome here. He also says he opposes settlements in the heart of what would be a Palestinian state. 

But, he argues, in light of this month's attack, this is not the appropriate time to lecture Israel on the peace process.