Rep. Ritchie Torres at JPost Conference: 'I am a Zionist, always have been and always will be'

NEW YORK – The beginning of New York Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres’ interview at the Jerusalem Post’s Conference on Monday was interrupted by hecklers protesting the representative’s pro-Israel support.

“I just want to tell the next disrupter: I am a Zionist. I always have been and always will be,” Torres said. “So no amount of harassment, intimidation or bullying is ever going to dissuade me from thinking what is right, and I’m going to support a US relationship.”

Torres said he’s never faced more harassment or death threats for his support of Israel than he does now.

Finding and supporting bipartisanship 

The congressman acknowledged that challenges to the US-Israel relationship can be bipartisan just as support for it can be bipartisan, with increasing isolationism on the far Right and anti-Zionism on the far Left.

Torres doesn’t think President Joe Biden should draw a redline or make any changes to his Israel policy.

“The perpetrators of October 7, like [Hamas Gaza head Yahya] Sinwar, must be brought to justice,” he said. “Israel has a right to defend itself, Hamas must be removed from power and the hostages must be brought home.”

The international community is fundamentally failing the hostages and their families by aggressively pressuring Israel to keep Hamas in power without pressuring the terrorist group to release the hostages, Torres said.

“The time has come for the international community to put the pressure squarely where it belongs – toward Hamas.”