Anti-Israel Progressive Activist Wins New Jersey House Primary

Adam Hamawy, an anti-Israel progressive activist and Gaza trauma surgeon, won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District on Tuesday, putting him on track to enter Congress from a heavily Democratic seat.

Hamawy’s victory is the latest sign of pro-Palestinian candidates gaining ground in Democratic primaries. He has backed an arms embargo on Israel, sanctions, the Palestinian “right of return,” and opposed funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, positions that would make him one of the sharpest anti-Israel voices in Congress if elected.

The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night. Hamawy defeated a crowded Democratic field and is expected to face Republican Greg Mele in November. The district is currently represented by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who is retiring at the end of her term, and is considered safely Democratic.

His win came despite scrutiny over his past connection to Omar Abdel-Rahman, the Egyptian cleric known as the “Blind Sheikh,” who was convicted on terrorism charges in 1995. Reports said Hamawy translated for Abdel-Rahman and later testified for the defense during the 1990s. His campaign rejected criticism over the issue as “gross and bigoted,” saying the attacks against him were becoming “more desperate than ever.”

Hamawy, who is Muslim, has pushed back against allegations that his views on Israel reflect hostility toward Jews. In a statement to JTA last week, he said he finds antisemitism “abhorrent” and is “deeply worried about its continued rise.”

“As a Muslim, I understand what it feels like to face bigotry, to feel unsafe in your community and to have your loyalty to this country questioned,” Hamawy said. “In this country, we have seen recent attacks at both synagogues and mosques. I see our safety as intertwined.”

Asked about Jewish constituents who oppose his Israel positions, Hamawy said, “I hope we can still connect on shared values and goals, including peace, justice, safety and dignity.” He added that his door “will always be open.”

Hamawy’s Israel record has been central to the race. He has called for cutting off U.S. military support to Israel and appeared with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Hebrew reporting also highlighted Hamawy’s argument that Israelis should “feel the effects of the war,” a remark tied to his opposition to Iron Dome funding.

Hamawy’s campaign drew on his experience working as a trauma surgeon in Gaza. He volunteered at the European Hospital in Khan Younis in 2024 and later briefed lawmakers in Washington about what he said he witnessed there. Israeli officials later said Hamas operated an underground command center beneath the hospital complex, a claim Hamawy rejected.

His campaign was boosted by major pro-Palestinian support. American Priorities, a super PAC formed to counter pro-Israel influence in Democratic primaries, planned roughly $2 million in spending on his behalf. He was also endorsed by left-wing lawmakers and activists, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and several Squad-aligned members of Congress.

PAL PAC, a pro-Palestinian group that endorsed him, celebrated the result. “The Democratic establishment just got a wake-up call!” the group wrote on X. “This victory proves what we have known all along: Standing firmly and unapologetically for Palestinian freedom is a WINNING platform.”

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin congratulated Hamawy without mentioning his Israel positions. “As a veteran, combat surgeon, and small business owner, Adam Hamawy has continually served his community and our country,” Martin said. “He is a proven fighter for working families.”

If Hamawy wins in November, he will succeed Watson Coleman and enter Congress as part of a growing bloc of Democrats who openly challenge U.S. support for Israel during the war against Hamas.