Congressional candidate Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks during a get out the vote event on the University of Minnesota campus on November 3, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” in a November 5 tweet, after the Israeli army demolished several Palestinian Bedouin homes in a West Bank village.
Omar tweeted, “This a grave crime—in direct violation of international law. If they used any US equipment it also violates US law. An entire community is now homeless and will likely experience lifelong trauma.
“The United States of America should not be bankrolling ethnic cleansing. Anywhere.”
This a grave crime—in direct violation of international law. If they used any US equipment it also violates US law.
An entire community is now homeless and will likely experience lifelong trauma.
The United States of America should not be bankrolling ethnic cleansing. Anywhere. https://t.co/cdJgqS6Nwe
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 6, 2020
Pro-Israel Twitter accounts criticized Omar’s use of the term “ethnic cleansing.”
“No, it’s not ethnic cleansing,” international human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky tweeted. “And you most certainly don’t know anything about international law or the situation on the ground, you unhinged Antisemite.”
No, it’s not a crime. No, it’s not ethnic cleansing. And you most certainly don’t know anything about international law or the situation on the ground, you unhinged Antisemite.
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) November 6, 2020
Students Supporting Israel also tweeted, “Sounds like a talking point from [your] radical friends. What else do you know about these homes ? Were [they built] with permits? [W]ere they build in an area that is approved for housing ? [U]sing the word ‘ethnic cleansing’ wont make your case right.”
“Ethnic cleansing” ? Sounds like a talking point from you radical friends. What else do you know about these homes ? Were They build with permits ? were they build in an area that is approved for housing ? using the word “ethnic cleansing” wont make your case right. Get over it.
— SSI Movement (@SSI_Movement) November 6, 2020
Writer Claire Voltaire tweeted, “Armenia genocide acknowledgment- silence. Armenia Azerbaijan conflict- silence. Illegal tents in a firing zone legally taken down- ethnic cleansing!”
Armenia genocide acknowledgment- silence
Armenia Azerbaijan conflict- silence
Illegal tents in a firing zone legally taken down- ethnic cleansing!
— Claire (@Claire_V0ltaire) November 6, 2020
According to The Times of Israel, around 73 Palestinian Bedouin homes were demolished on November 3, including those of 41 children, in Khirbet Humsa. Israel had declared the area to be a live-fire military training zone in 1972; the Israeli High Court determined in 2019 that the Palestinian Bedouins didn’t have a claim to the land.
“These are intruders who use these areas for grazing,” the court ruled.
Both the United Nations and the European Union have denounced the Israeli military’s actions; the U.N. called the move a violation of international law.
“The extensive destruction of property and the forcible transfer of protected people in an occupied territory are grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” United Nations Development Programme Administrator for the Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People Yvonne Helle said in a statement.
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