In an interview with “NJ PBS News,” Rep.-elect Adam Hamawy (D-NJ) was asked whether Israel has a right to exist. He replied that Israel “currently exists,” calling the question repetitive and “a moot argument.” Hamawy said every country should have the right to exist, but added that governments must protect equal rights, civil liberties and human rights for their citizens. He also questioned why Israel had become such a dominant topic of discussion and defended his earlier comparisons between Iran and the United States, as well as his refusal to describe Iran as an adversary.
Hamawy said his approach is not “binary” on complex foreign-policy questions. He argued that voters had recently signaled they were opposed to war and wanted Washington to prioritize domestic concerns, improve Americans’ quality of life and strengthen public safety. “Creating enemies around the world is not the way to do it,” he said.
Host Rob Nelson noted that Hamawy had previously been asked five times whether Iran is an adversary. Nelson said he would pose the question again: Is Iran an adversary, and why was Hamawy unwilling to say so directly?
Hamawy answered that the United States should not focus on creating adversaries. He rejected what he described as a simple yes-or-no framework, arguing that current U.S. policy had helped produce a war that was making life more difficult for Americans and ordinary Iranians alike. Rather than debating whether Iran fits the label of adversary, he said, the focus should be on finding a way to improve conditions for people in both countries.
Nelson then revisited a tense exchange Hamawy had on CNN. During that discussion, Hamawy responded to references to Iran’s longstanding “death to America” rhetoric by pointing to statements in the United States calling for “death to Iran.” When told that Iran had killed Americans, Hamawy replied that the United States had killed Iranians as well. Nelson asked whether Hamawy viewed the actions and rhetoric of the two nations as morally equivalent.
Hamawy pointed to comments from President Trump suggesting that Iran should be nuked, describing them as genocidal rhetoric aimed at destroying the country’s civilization. He said inflammatory language from both sides should end because it is unproductive.
The interview then returned to Israel. Nelson asked Hamawy to clarify whether he believed Israel had a right to exist specifically as a Jewish state.
Hamawy again said Israel already exists and repeated that he considered the question misplaced. In his view, every nation has a right to exist, provided it guarantees equal rights, civil liberties and human rights. He said the goal should be a society modeled on the United States, where people can coexist and enjoy the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Nelson challenged that response by comparing it to Republicans who, when asked whether Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election, reply that Biden was sworn into office. The point, Nelson said, is that acknowledging something exists does not answer whether it should exist.
Hamawy responded by asking why the interview had focused so heavily on Israel. He said he was elected to represent New Jersey residents and serve people across the United States, with priorities including an effective healthcare system, quality education, affordable childcare and an economy that is not “rigged.” He also criticized immigration enforcement operations, saying he did not want ICE agents “roaming through our streets and killing Americans.” Hamawy concluded that he cared more about addressing the needs of Americans at home than debating events elsewhere.
Hamawy added that everyone has a right to exist, but everyone must also obey the law.