Bush Organizes West Bank Trips for Lawmakers

Former Congresswoman Cori Bush has signed on to organize fact-finding missions to the West Bank for up to 200 current and former members of Congress.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Unions

Bush Organizes West Bank Trips for Lawmakers

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Former Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush signed on as a consultant to organize fact-finding educational missions to the West Bank for up to 200 current and former Senators and Members of Congress. The trips are funded by the Belgium-based International Federation for Rights and Development.

Why it matters

The missions are designed to elevate the narratives of Palestinian farmers and residents affected by settlers in the West Bank and other occupied territories. The memorandum states that Palestinian experiences under occupation have been globally silenced.

The missions can include up to 200 current and former Senators and Members of Congress. Funding comes from the International Federation for Rights and Development, based in Belgium.

The players

Cori Bush

Former Democratic Congresswoman from St. Louis who now consults for the Chicago-based Truth and Conciliation Commission and is organizing the West Bank missions.

Wesley Bell

Democratic congressman who defeated Cori Bush in the 2024 St. Louis House primary and again in a 2026 rematch, with support from AIPAC's United Democracy Project.

International Federation for Rights and Development

Belgium-based organization funding the West Bank fact-finding trips under a memorandum of understanding with Bush and the Truth and Conciliation Commission.

The details

Bush will keep participants briefed after their visits, sharing updates, reports, and news on developments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The trips are organized under a memorandum of understanding among Bush, the Chicago-based Truth and Conciliation Commission, and the International Federation for Rights and Development.

October 2023: Bush introduced the "Ceasefire Now Resolution" to end the ground invasion in Gaza.
2024: Wesley Bell defeated Bush in the St. Louis House primary after a race described as the second-most-expensive House primary in history.
2026: Bell defeated Bush again in a rematch for the same seat.
November 3, 2026: Details of Bush's organizing role for the West Bank trips were reported.

Political Context

Bush's effort follows her 2024 primary loss to Wesley Bell, which became the second-most-expensive House primary in history after Bell received $9 million from AIPAC's United Democracy Project. Her return to the issue comes after she introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution in October 2023.

Lawmakers considering the trips would be briefed on developments in the West Bank and Gaza, and Bush will share updates afterward. Voters in Missouri's St. Louis district will see the continued rivalry between Bush and Bell in future elections.

The takeaway

The organizing of these missions shows how former lawmakers are seeking to shape congressional attention on Palestinian issues beyond the halls of Congress. Readers can track how the trips and any resulting briefings develop.