Freshman Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) faced backlash over his support for Israel during a rowdy town hall event Tuesday night in downtown St. Louis.
Videos from the event capture Bell repeatedly saying “Can we talk?” and “Let’s talk about it” while facing audience members who were vocal about the ongoing Middle East conflict and the war in Gaza.
“Regarding the term ‘genocide,’ I somewhat disagree with its use, because fundamentally … Israel was subjected to an attack by a terrorist group with a clear genocidal intent,” he noted, alluding to the deadly Hamas attacks that took place on October 7, 2023. “How does one reconcile that?”
“We need to end the war, we need to return every single hostage and Hamas has to go,” he continued.
Bell joined the House in January, unseating former Rep. Cori Bush (D), who has blamed pro-Israel groups for her defeat.
Bell, whose office did not provide an immediate response to The Hill’s request for comment on Wednesday, expressed gratitude to attendees through a post on the X social platform, recognizing the heated exchanges.
“While the conversations were sometimes intense, Democracy is inherently disorderly, and we must fervently protect it,” he stated. “Ultimately, we will continue advocating for the ST LOUIS region and our nation!”
The former St. Louis County prosecutor told local media after the event that he wasn’t surprised by the disruptions.
“I anticipated it might be even more contentious, to be quite honest, because many people are fervent about these issues, and this sentiment is prevalent nationwide,” Bell observed.
He noted that lawmakers from both parties have faced similar disruptions across the country this year.
“People are scared; they’re concerned,” Bell said. “There’s issues that they’re passionate about, so let’s have those conversations. It’s important.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was jeered during a nonpartisan event in her district earlier this week.
