Twelve of the 25 Jewish Democrats in the US House of Representatives said the grouping of the United States and Israel with the Taliban and Hamas in remarks about pursuing war crimes prosecutions gives “cover to terrorist groups” and called on their caucus colleague, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., to clarify her earlier statements.
“Equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided,” said the statement released late Wednesday and spearheaded by Rep. Brad Schnieder, D-Ill. “Ignoring the differences between democracies governed by the rule of law and contemptible organizations that engage in terrorism at best discredits one’s intended argument and at worst reflects deep-seated prejudice.
“The United States and Israel are imperfect and, like all democracies, at times deserving of critique, but false equivalencies give cover to terrorist groups,” the statement continued. “We urge Congresswoman Omar to clarify her words placing the US and Israel in the same category as Hamas and the Taliban.”
The statement came after a meeting of the unofficial Jewish Democratic caucus earlier in the day that discussed Omar’s tweet on Monday. “We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity,” Omar posted. “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the US, Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.”
Omar and a number of other “progressives” have been harshly critical of Israel in the wake of its conflict last month with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Some Jewish Democrats have broadly criticized their colleagues but until Wednesday refrained from naming them.
(Were progressive Democrats regretful? Scroll to the bottom for responses from Omar, the squad and the progressive caucus.)
The Jewish Democrats were meeting Wednesday to discuss rising anti-Semitism after the Gaza conflict, but Schneider steered the conversation to Omar, whose tweet had drawn sharp criticism from centrist and rightist pro-Israel groups and Israeli officials, as well as Republicans and conservative media.
In the end, he got 11 of the Jewish Democrats to join him in the statement. The others are Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Kathy Manning of North Carolina, Jerry Nadler of New York, Kim Schrier of Washington, Brad Sherman of California and Dean Phillips of Minnesota, whose Minneapolis area district neighbors Omar’s.
Some Jewish Democrats hesitated to make a statement. Omar’s spokesman, Jeremy Slevin, said her remarks were ripped from context and distorted by the right-wing. “As usual, the far right is ginning up hate against Rep. Omar for a technical question about an ongoing investigation,” he said. “It is the congresswoman’s role as a member of Congress conducting federal oversight to follow the facts, ask questions of the administration and work to make sure the public understands our government shouldn’t deny any person from seeking justice.”
Omar’s tweet contained a video of her questioning Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Congress the same day about why the Biden administration opposes efforts by the International Criminal Court to probe nationals of certain countries for alleged war crimes.
The tweet that shocked Jewish Democrats.
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
Omar said she did not believe that Hamas, the Afghanistan government, the Taliban and Israel met the threshold of a military justice system sufficient to independently pursue justice.
c) 2021 Arutz Sheva, All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
See the responses that Omar, the progressive caucus and the squad sent back:
Our statement in support of Rep. @Ilhan: pic.twitter.com/iBU7ZZDAkl
— Progressive Caucus (@USProgressives) June 10, 2021
It’s shameful for colleagues who call me when they need my support to now put out a statement asking for “clarification” and not just call.
The islamophobic tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable. https://t.co/37dy2UduW0
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021
Freedom of speech doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress. The benefit of the doubt doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress. House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 10, 2021
Pretty sick & tired of the constant vilification, intentional mischaracterization, and public targeting of @IlhanMN coming from our caucus.
They have no concept for the danger they put her in by skipping private conversations & leaping to fueling targeted news cycles around her.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 10, 2021
Stop attacking @IlhanMN. Stop attacking us.
I'm not surprised when Republicans attack Black women for standing up for human rights. But when it’s Democrats, it’s especially hurtful. We’re your colleagues. Talk to us directly.
Enough with the anti-Blackness and Islamophobia.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) June 10, 2021
Islamophobia is alive + more violent, yet the outcry and work needed to combat it are lackluster. Hate knows no boundaries. Whether it's Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, racism, or sexism, you can't choose which hate to ignore when it serves your interests. https://t.co/LF7Yq9Iiew
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 10, 2021
I am tired of colleagues (both D+R) demonizing @IlhanMN. Their obsession with policing her is sick. She has the courage to call out human rights abuses no matter who is responsible. That's better than colleagues who look away if it serves their politics. https://t.co/5n9OxZbK8Q
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 10, 2021
Original
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
Stop the bad faith attempts to take @IlhanMN's words out of context. She called a simple question.
The ICC exists to investigate and exact recourse when human rights are violated.
Imagine if Congress was as outraged by what Palestinians endure daily. pic.twitter.com/XP8JXD8k0S
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) June 10, 2021
—-
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Hey squad members you are Americanphobic, so you are racist. Secondly, why are there Jewish Congressmen who are Democrats, when Democrats are anti -Israel? The Jewish people better start to realize that only Conservatives are their friends!
Any Jew that is a democrat is no different then a RINO. They stab their own kind in the back for personal gain.
They certainly are americanophobic.. THEY HATE EVERYTHING about america..
SO i say honor their phobia, and kICK THEM THE HELL OUT OF THE COUNTRY for good…
Wake up American Jewry. The Democrats are NOT your friends. Quit voting for them!
Strange how a large majority of Jewish Americans (70%) vote with Muslims for Democrats who have made Muslims their pets and tolerate repeated antisemitic remarks from the Squad. More bizarrely, over half of Democrat Party donations come from Jewish sources (Richard Cohen writing in WaPo), mostly mega-donors from Hollywood like Spielberg, Streisand, Eisner and the tech titans. They say “he who pays the piper calls the tune” but it looks as though AOC and her nasty band are calling the tune while Jewish donors are funding vilification of Israel. They should be called on it along with the gutless half of Jewish Congresskritters who wouldn’t sign even this weak protest against Muslim and black antisemitism spreading among the Democrat party.
I am completely baffled that with all that the Jewish people have gone through through history and especially during WWII, that so many vote Democrat, who do not have the best interests for the Jews and Israel. For that matter I can’t comprehend anyone voting with the democrats.
I have often mentioned it to friends and acquaintances i have, that are jewish, and they just can’t seem to wrap their heads around, WHY SO MANY of their colleagues, are that way..
ltuser,
In Tzarist Russia, Jews were constantly persecuted, provided sport for the Cossacks, and were frequently victims of pogroms. With the 1917 Revolution and the overthrow of Tzar Nicholas and his family, it looked like “The People” were going to be running things and there would be equal rights for everyone. While it didn’t turn out exactly as planned, it was better than before. Those who emigrated to the US brought their political convictions with them and were to the Left of center. Also as the world’s longest oppressed group, they identified strongly with the underdog and were usually the first to champion their rights. With one of the main tenets of the religion and culture being education, there was a strong intellectual, academic and professional leaning which usually results in Liberalism/Leftism. How, in the face of truth, facts and evidence and the state of the world, they maintain this attitude is completely beyond my ken, but to balance it out is a small percentage that remembers the Holocaust and means it when they say, “Never again!” If you can find the documentary, “Skokie: Invaded, but not Conquered”, you’ll get some idea of the right wing of American Jews.
American Indians refer to this type of speech as such; Ilhan Omar, speaks with forked tongue. I believe Islam says that is OK too.
In Omar’s case it’s more like a pitch forked tongue.
It must be OK for Muslimes to lie like their father the devil. God alone knows how many times Fuehrer Obama has done it.
Islam definitely teaches that it’s fine to lie to a non-Muslim to obtain strategic advantage for allah. That includes pretending friendship only so long as the non-Muslim is useful.
THEIR unholy book, COMMANDS them to lie to ‘infidels’..
It’s part of their culture:
“Taqiyya (also spelled taqiya or taqiyyah) is lying to advance or protect Islam (taqiyya literally means “prevention”). Muslims justify taqiyya from the Quran, other Islamic texts, and the actions of Muhammad, including those below. It should be emphasized that while Iying is a cause for shame in the West, taqiyya isn’t in Islam.”
The Jews in Congress are a total joke (like that clown from TN with the bucket of fried chicken in an important hearing) if they won’t stand with Israel and if they just look the other way when their fellow Members spew anti-Semitic rhetoric.
80 years ago in Europe they were lined up at the trains to the gas chambers because they figured if they will just give in, they will be spared finality. Yup.
How sad! A woman with NO roots in our country is allowed to dictate policy!!! She has NO business being in Congress – she’s a hateful foreigner. She should return from whence she came!
IT is sad, how we’ve literally allowed all these AMERICAN haters, to not just BE IN OUR nation, but be in our government!
Yes, it’s past time. She and the “Squad” have had enough time to spew their hatred for the America I love. Gotta find a way to boot them out for their destructive, Anti-American rhetoric. You can be in Congress and have differing views; but this rises to an unacceptable and intolerable level of hate.
It’s hard to believe that omar is even still in this country. She got here illegally and somehow was allowed to stay, and now that anti-America ***** is in our government. Trump had the right idea, block all muslims, from all countries, from even entering this country. They are sworn enemies to the United States, and they express that hate all the time. She, and her muslim friend tlaib, both need to be removed, not just from our government, but from this country, because they are our known enemies.
We need to go back to the old immigration laws that restricted the number of people from each country that was allowed to come to this country, not just have an open door policy where the liberals want to allow anyone to come here at any time they want. No non-citizen has a right to come to this country when ever they want.
WHEN you see that we have SO MANY COWARDS in office, and so many rules are not being USED or enforced, its EASY TO SEE Why traitors like this, are not just in office, but allowed to speak like they do, and get away with it.
When everything else fails for you, use the race card. This is so old and worn out that the race card is nothing but an excuse for shortcomings.
AND if you note, its oNLY one political party, that you see the race card ever being played by.
So, does that mean that the majority 13, that didn’t vote with the minority, are OK with being called terrorists?
I haven’t heard anything from Feinstein or Chuckie the Schumckie, Judaism should be ashamed to claim them. Wait, I haven’t checked, maybe it doesn’t. I have NEVER understood jews who favor gun control either.
That’s cause they are brain dead!