Minnesota Rep. apologizes for anti-Semitic tweet
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar has apologized for a widely condemned tweet suggesting that money drives politicians’ support for Israel.
“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,” the freshman Democrat wrote in a tweet Monday. “My intention is never to offend my Jewish Americans as a whole. 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. That is why I unequivocally apologize.”
The freshman representative’s statement came shortly after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders called for an apology.
In a dramatic statement Monday, members of the House Democratic leadership said that while “legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate,” Omar’s “use of antiSemitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s top supporters is deeply offensive.”
“We condemn these remarks and we call upon congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments,” read the statement, tweeted out by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The Democratic congresswoman shared a tweet Sunday on House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy pledging to take “action” in response to her support of movements to boycott and sanction Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she wrote, adding a musical note emoji.
In a follow-up tweet late Sunday, the freshman congresswoman said she was referencing the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization. While groups and individuals supporting Israel do donate heavily to politicians of both parties, AIPAC is a nonprofit that does not give directly to campaigns.
In her Monday statement, Omar said she stands by the original sentiment that the organization holds too much power in Washington.