U.S. Democrats—yes, Democrats—were drawing up a resolution that would have condemned your favorite anti-Semitic congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, after she again spread Jew-hating lies. Her latest remarks, questioning the loyalty of American Jews, have yet again drawn fire.
We have reported here in the past few months about Omar’s anti-Israel and anti-Semitic track record. This is at least the third time the Minnesota Democrat has castigated Jewish Americans and supporters of Israel — and unlike the other times, she won’t apologize. Which is good. Now, Americans can see her for who she is.
“The Allegiance to a Foreign Country” Trope
Last week Omar said she wants to “talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country,” referring to Israel.
Her hatred of the only state in the world that can protect Jews from persecution, reveals an ignorance to the strategic relationship that the US has with Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East. She confuses the fact that most politicians support Israel, with being loyal to Israel over the US.
Dems Responding
Now Democrats are scrambling to write a resolution they hope will smooth the delicate balance between the party and its Jewish supporters. The declaration does not name Omar, but reviews the history of anti-Semitism and bigotry in America, including anti-Jewish tropes about divided loyalties. It also condemns bigotry directed against Muslims.
The House “rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States,” the resolution says. The Dems will struggle in 2020 if they are seen as the party that tolerates anti-Semitism. But they fear the outcry from their far-left wing, if they come down too hard on a petite, black, female, Muslim immigrant like Ilhan Omar.
Anti-Defamation League head Jonathan Greenblatt explained that the dual-loyalty accusation “has long been a vile anti-Semitic slur that has been used to harass, marginalize, and persecute the Jewish people for centuries.”
Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., said she is “saddened” by Omar’s mischaracterizing of support for Israel and urged her to find out from the Jewish community why such comments are hurtful.
Omar stands firm (Against pro-Israel Americans)
But Omar doubled down: “Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee.”
Lowey responded: “No member of Congress is asked to swear allegiance to another country. Throughout history, Jews have been accused of dual loyalty, leading to discrimination and violence, which is why these accusations are so hurtful.”
In the past Omar has said that “Israel has hypnotized the world.” She also accused the pro-Israel lobbying groups of buying their influence on Capitol Hill.
Vice President Mike Pence said that “unless Rep. Omar resigns from Congress, at minimum Democrat leaders should remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.”
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., has so far resisted doing do, but his statement on Friday mentioned his position on the panel and conduct becoming a member of the House:
“It’s unacceptable and deeply offensive to call into question the loyalty of fellow American citizens because of their political views, including support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.
In an interview on CNN Engel said, “I think the remarks she’s made have been very troubling. I have spoken out very publicly and forcefully about it in saying she should apologize. You hope that people who get elected to office and they grow. I would hope the same thing would happen to her, but I’m not going to sit silent as long as there are people who are yelling out anti-Semitic tropes or anti-anything tropes, by the way.
Omar remained adamant.
“I am told every day that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone,” Omar said on Twitter on Sunday. “I just happen to be willing to speak up on it and open myself to attacks.”
To be clear, that is not why she has been labeled as anti-Semitic. It is because she has repeated anti-Semitic lies and motifs suggesting that Jews control the government, Israel has hypnotized the world, democratic Israel is just the police state of Iran and that pro-Israel means, your loyalty, as a US politician is greater to Israel than the US.
However, as of this morning, the resolution has been scrapped as the AOC/Warren feathers of the left wing voice their support for Omar’s anti-Israel rhetoric and false accusations.
