US Muslim lawmaker sorry for ‘anti-Semitic’ tweet
ILHAN Omar, one e of the first two Muslim women in the US Congress, “unequivocally” apologised pologised on Monday after suggesting gesting US support for Israel is fueled by money from a pro-Israel ro-Israel lobby group.
The Minnesota freshman shman has faced criticism for r weeks over her positions on the Jewish state, but it boiled over late on Sunday y after she reacted to a Republipublican critic in a tweet.
“It’s all about the Benj a mins baby,” Omar re pl i e d, re f e r r i ng g t o American $100 bills ls featuring the likeness ess of Benjamin Franklin. .
When a user asked ed who
Omar believes is paying ying US politicians to support Israel, the former Somali refugee twee tweeted a one-word response – “AIP “AIPAC!” – referring to the Americ American Israel Public Affairs Comm Committee.
The exchanges excha triggered an uproar, uproar with House Speaker Nancy Nan Pelosi castig a t i n g O m a r a n d deman demanding an “immediate” apology for using “anti-Semitic trope tropes” in her tweet, and several Democrat crats and Republicans assailing their colleague coll for her lang language.
Omar Om obliged, issui n g a s t a t e ment ackn acknowledging that a nt i i- S e m i t i s m i s “rea l” and expressing grat itude to colleagues “who are educating me on the painful histor y of anti-Semitic t ropes”.
“We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity,” she said. “This is why I unequivocally apologise.”
Democrat Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of which Omar is a member, called it “shocking to hear a member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of ‘Jewish money’”.
Liz Cheney, a top Republican in the House of Representatives, urged Democratic leaders to remove Omar from the committee.
President Donald Trump also weighed in, telling reporters that Omar “should be ashamed of herself. I think it was a terrible statement and I don’t think her apology was adequate”.
Several lawmakers said Omar was wrong about why lawmakers support Israel, arguing that the support is based on shared values and strategic interests, but many quickly applauded Omar for her apology.
“Thank you for the apology and for hearing the voices of Jewish Americans,” tweeted Congressman Josh Gottheimer.
Gottheimer joined fellow House Democrat Elaine Luria in circulating a letter addressed to Pelosi and other leaders urging them to take “swift action” against anti-Semitic language by members.
The letter’s authors, who are both Jewish, did not mention Omar by name, but their intent was clear.
“We must speak out when any member – Democrat or Republican – uses harmful tropes and stereotypes, levels accusations of dual loyalty, or makes reckless statements like those yesterday,” they wrote.
Omar has been critical of Israel’s government over its treatment of Palestinians. She has supported the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement that aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel.
Omar and fellow Muslim congressional freshman Rashida Tlaib’s support for the boycott has opened a breach in the Democratic Party and threatens to create a fissure in the ironclad US-Israeli alliance.
Last month, Omar expressed regret for saying in a 2012 tweet that Israel “has hypnotised the world” while carrying out “evil”.