Democrat under fire for anti-Semitic accusations

Leading Democrats have publicly rebuked a Muslim congresswoman from their own party after she provoked accusations of anti-Semitism.

Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in Congress, suggested that support for Israel among her fellow politicians was fuelled by money from a proIsrael lobby group.

The controversy mirrored the anti-Semitism scandal that has engulfed Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party in Britain, and now threatens to open a fissure within the Democratic Party.

Omar has faced criticism for weeks over her position on the Jewish state. On Monday, she wrote on Twitter: ‘‘It’s all about the Benjamins baby.’’ That was a reference to $100 bills, which feature an image of Benjamin Franklin.

Another Twitter user then asked who she believed was paying US politicians to support Israel. Omar responded ‘‘Aipac!’’, referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a bipartisan lobbying group that promotes US-Israel relations.

Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat speaker of the House, said: ‘‘Congresswoman Omar’s use of antiSemitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologise for these hurtful comments.’’

Omar, 37, the first woman to wear the hijab in Congress, later issued an ‘‘unequivocal’’ apology.

She said: ‘‘My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole.’’ – Telegraph Group

AP Representative Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has ‘‘unequivocally’’ apologised for tweets suggesting that members of Congress support Israel because they are being paid to do so, which drew bipartisan criticism and a rebuke from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.