Criticizing Israel is not anti-Semitic

LETTERS LETTERS@USATODAY.COM

I’m fuming over the Democrats’ willingness to drag Rep. Ilhan Omar, DMinn., through the mud again. As a proud Jewish person completely opposed to Israel’s settler state in Palestine, the false charges of anti-Semitism leveled at Omar render me — and thousands of other Jews who criticize Israel — invisible.

As if to prove her point, the backlash against Omar’s latest (accurate) tweet, has Democrats and Republicans, Jewish and non-Jewish, falling all over each other to defend Israel against criticism the same week the United Nations has said it may have committed war crimes in Gaza.

I’m outraged at the continuing Islamophobic and racist attacks on Omar that come at the expense of addressing both the real growing anti-Semitic threat of rising white nationalism and fascism, and the continued oppression of Palestinians with the help of our tax dollars.

Lee Goodman-Gargagliano

Oakland, Calif.

FACEBOOK USA TODAY OPINION

How about the House of Representatives call for the removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., instead of a resolution on her comments? Obviously, Omar doesn’t care what anyone thinks about what she says about Israel. Joe Miller

Why haven’t Democratic leaders introduced legislation to condemn white supremacists yet, then? Nicole Keys

Omar said, “I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress.” She’s right. There’s no reason to embrace allegiance to another country! Yolanda Sorrentino Questioning legislative and financial favoritism toward a foreign country — regardless of which one — is what I expect a congress member to do.

David Mathers

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