Dozens of House Democrats Condemn Ilhan Omar for Equating U.S., Israel With Hamas, Taliban
Omar said: “The islamophobic [sic] tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable.”
A dozen House Democrats demanded Rep. Ilhan Omar clarify remarks she made on Monday equating the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban.
“We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity,” Omar said to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.”
Omar wanted Blinken to explain “where people are supposed to go for justice.”
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
The group of Democrats, all Jewish, issued a joint statement, saying Omar’s remark “reflects deep-seated prejudice.”
“Equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided,” said the lawmakers. “Ignoring the differences between democracies governed by the rule of law and contemptible organizations that engage in terrorism at best discredits one’s intended argument and at worst reflects deep-seated prejudice.”
They concluded: “The United States and Israel are imperfect and like all democracies, at times deserving of critique, but false equivalencies give cover to terrorist groups. We urge Congressman Omar to clarify her words placing the US and Israel in the same category as Hamas and the Taliban.”
The statement came from:
- Rep. Jake Auchincloss (MA)
- Rep. Ted Deutch (FL)
- Rep. Lois Frankel (FL)
- Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ)
- Rep. Elaine Luria (VA)
- Rep. Kathy Manning (NC)
- Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY)
- Rep. Dean Phillips (MN)
- Rep. Kim Schrier (WA)
- Rep. Brad Sherman (CA)
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)
@RepAuchincloss, @RepTedDeutch, @RepLoisFrankel, @RepJoshG, @RepElaineLuria, @RepKManning, @RepJerryNadler, @RepDeanPhillips, @RepKimSchrier, @BradSherman, @RepDWStweets
We urge Rep Omar to clarify her words placing the US and Israel in the same category as Hamas and the Taliban pic.twitter.com/KfcnmpLRO6
— Rep. Brad Schneider (@RepSchneider) June 10, 2021
Phillips has lashed out numerous times at his colleagues for their anti-Israel rhetoric. For example, he told CNN that they stoke anti-Semitism when they call “Israel a terrorist or an apartheid state.”
Omar implied the 12 Democrats are Islamaphobic.
“It’s shameful for colleagues who call me when they need my support to now put out a statement asking for ‘clarification’ and not just call,” Omar whined on Twitter. “The islamophobic tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable.”
Omar added in a follow-up tweet: “Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC isn’t comparison or from ‘deeply seated prejudice’. You might try to undermine these investigations or deny justice to their victims but history has thought [sic] us that the truth can’t be hidden or silenced forever.”
Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC isn’t comparison or from “deeply seated prejudice”. You might try to undermine these investigations or deny justice to their victims but history has thought us that the truth can’t be hidden or silenced forever.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021
The tension has been building between the House and the ladies in the “Squad.” The ladies have a history of anti-Semitism, especially Omar.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar Endorses BDS on Face the Nation
- Rep. Ilhan Omar’s latest anti-Semitic tweets: Israel supporters in Congress bought by Jewish money
The last link has examples of Omar’s other anti-Semitic tweets.
In March 2019, the House voted and passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism but did not mention Omar by name. Rep. Deutch, who signed the latest statement, helped write the resolution:
He noted it isn’t the first time Omar has faced accusations of anti-Semitism. Omar backtracked in January from a 2012 tweet amid the Gaza War saying “Israel has hypnotized the world,” as well as from tweets last month suggesting that U.S. lawmakers defending Israel were motivated by campaign donations.
“We are having this debate because of the language of one of our colleagues. Language that suggests that Jews like me who serve in the United States in Congress and whose father earned a Purple Heart fighting the Nazis in the Battle of Bulge, that we are not loyal Americans? Why are we unable to singularly condemn anti-Semitism?” Deutch said in a speech on the House floor.
“Anti-Semitism is worthy of being taken seriously on its own. It’s worthy of being singularly called out.”
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) decided to jump into the fray and also make it about her.
Stop attacking @IlhanMN. Stop attacking us.
I'm not surprised when Republicans attack Black women for standing up for human rights. But when it’s Democrats, it’s especially hurtful. We’re your colleagues. Talk to us directly.
Enough with the anti-Blackness and Islamophobia.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) June 10, 2021
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Comments
Can’t those commie libs all just get along?
Hope not.
So the question is, are they growing a conscience, or just dinging her for saying the quiet part out loud?
Seeing Nadler’s and Wasserman-Schultz’s names on there pushes me hard towards the latter.
Or maybe it’s explainable by the signers all being Jewish. Stranger things.
If Omar is so worried about Islamophobia, maybe she should consider not stoking it by being such a jerk.
“If Omar is so worried about Islamophobia…”
What she is doing is very predictable. She’s pulling the islamopobhia card. After every terrorist attack since 9/11 followers of muhhamed cry out for sympathy and say they expect a “back lash against muslims.” Which of course never happens. Nonetheless, her out cry is reminiscent of this.
“Which of course never happens.”
More and more, ivask myself why not. Not for those Muslims just raising a,family and working hard (and getting killed by young black female carjackers), but the noisy ones. The “leaders”
“Muslims fear backlash after tomorrow’s bombing”
Nadler and W/S need to put on a show for their voters. Nothing more.
So it’s OK for some people to announce things to the media, but not for other people to do the same? Sounds discrimintory to me…
No one is surprised.
I think your headline should read ‘Barely a dozen …’ instead of ‘Dozens …’
“Omar wanted Blinken to explain “where people are supposed to go for justice.”
Somalia.
Go back there.
Justice for who? Isn’t she a representative? Well then who does she represent? Isn’t her district in Minnesota? Doesn’t she give a flying fart about her constituents?
I believe in her home nation – and perhaps parts of her district – her appearing without a veil over her face might result in her stoning. How’s that for justice??
Muslims, Black Muslims, of slavers’ past, present, and progressive. Probably not.
Also, colonialism, predating Europeans. She’s running around in circles and missing the ancestor’s of her privileged past. Black privilege? Tan privilege? What is her diversity class, bloc? Perhaps it was one of Obama’s ancestors, his patriarchal roots, who were prominent in that neck of the woods.
This person does not belong in the United States Congress.
This person does not belong in the United States. Hart-Celler has done irreparable damage to our country.
Democratic Consequences (DC).
That said, a constitutional republic, if we can keep it.
One name not on that group of signees, Steve Cohen of Tenn. I wonder where he stands on this issue?
I don’t think the man takes much of a stand on anything. He’s an embarrassment.
his chicken stunt will go down in history
I heard someone call her a towel head.
I said “it’s not a towel it’s a sheet”.
she will have live her entire life under protection funded by the very people who she should be the most afraid of.
Has Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee stated why he didn’t sign the letter along with the other Jewish Congressmen and Congresswomen?