HATE, YES, BUT WHOSE?
A Muslim congresswoman talks Israel. Cue the firestorm,
This is the story of a drama in Washington that has been rocking the corridors of power in recent days. And it has all the elements of high-octane American political theatre.
It brings together the potentially explosive issues of Israel and antiSemitism — combined with the candour of a new Muslim member of Congress — in a political culture that tolerates no dissent.
From the headlines, you’d think it was a straightforward case of a rookie politician being caught saying something offensive. But beneath the surface, it has turned into something much more revealing.
At the centre of it is Ilhan Omar, a charismatic Somali-American from Minnesota who is the first Black Muslim woman elected to Congress in U.S. history.
She is being accused of making antiSemitic statements in questioning U.S. support of Israel, and has been under unrelenting pressure since then, including several death threats.
What is important to note is that Omar is being attacked for saying things she never said. In fact, she is being criticized because some politicians and journalists — many for their own political reasons — didn’t like what they thought she meant.
The uproar has created remarkable tensions in the U.S. Congress. The sharpest division is between the establishment leadership of the Democrats and the many new young members, most of them women, who think Omar is being scapegoated and want a radical rethink of traditional policies.
As a consequence, the controversy has had the crucial collateral effect of placing a much-needed spotlight on two questions now never asked in American political life: Why is it in America’s national interest to bankroll and support a racist right-wing government in Israel without Americans ever having an opportunity to debate the policy openly? And what about justice for the Palestinians? Omar, whose other political distinction is that she is the first member of Congress to wear a hijab, came to the United States as a refugee at the age of 12.
She first ran into political trouble last month when she tweeted that U.S. support for Israel in Congress was “all about the Benjamins, baby,” quoting a Puff Daddy lyric referring to $100 bills.
After Omar was criticized for the tweet being “anti-Semitic,” she immediately apologized. The apology was largely accepted, even though it is well known that many pro-Israel supporters — like other lobby groups — use political contributions as a way of achieving influence in Congress. At the top of that list is casino owner Sheldon Adelson, whose main focus is Israel and who contributed more than $100 million (U.S.) to Republican candidates last year.
Regardless, it was last week that Omar inadvertently set off a more serious firestorm. She appeared at a Washington bookstore event with Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American woman who was also elected to Congress as one of the first two female Muslim members.
Omar said that the two are accused of anti-Semitism “almost every time we say something,” and when that happens, it has the effect of “ending the debate.” She then went on to say this: “Nobody then gets to have the broader debate of ‘What is happening with Palestine?’ So, for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country. And I want to ask, why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA (National Rifle Association), of fossil fuel industries, or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobby that is influencing policy?”
In the media coverage of her remarks, the focus was solely on her five words about dual loyalty: “allegiance to a foreign country.” It was reported — inaccurately — that she meant American Jews supporting Israel. In fact, her reference was not to Jews, but to politicians.
She was referring — correctly — to the fact that American politicians, most of whom are not Jewish, have for years supported the Israeli government without giving Americans any opportunity to debate that support. In fact, in many U.S. states, they have gone further by enacting legislation that punishes businesses and individuals who support campaigns that protest Israeli policies.
But that wasn’t noted in the media and political reaction to her remarks. One Democratic congressman accused Omar of “invoking a vile anti-Semitic slur.” Media commentators said she indulged in an “anti-Semitic trope.” Others said that Omar should have been more sensitive to “how people will hear her remarks,” even if this wasn’t what she meant.
Leading the Republican attack force was Donald Trump, of course, who said that Omar should resign. But wasn’t he the same president who, after Charlottesville in 2017, said there were “very fine people” marching among the neoNazis shouting “Jews will not replace us?”
Trump will be greeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month when he comes to Washington to speak to the pro-Israeli lobby group, AIPAC, shortly before Israel’s April 9 election.
Like comrades-in-arms, if not future cell mates, there will be Trump — under investigation for possible crimes through his connections with Russia — embracing Netanyahu, who is under indictment for fraud, bribery and breach of trust in three corruption cases.
Due in no small part to people like Ilhan Omar, it is expected this unholy alliance will be greeted more skeptically when these leaders get together this time.