Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) group engaged in a Twitter spat over the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement on January 25.
The argument started after the DMFI responded to a tweet from former CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill arguing that BDS “denounces and fights racism and oppression in all forms.” “BDS is antisemitic,” DMFI retorted. “It opposes Israel’s existence in any borders. People are entitled to express antisemitic views in this country, but aren’t entitled to evade the label.”
America's BDS supporters are either ignorant of the movement's positions or purposely misrepresenting them.
BDS is antisemitic. It opposes Israel's existence in any borders.
People are entitled to express antisemitic views in this country, but aren't entitled to evade the label https://t.co/A9hXuqvvDE— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) January 24, 2021
This tweet prompted Omar to accuse the pro-Israel Democratic group of being “either ignorant of the movement’s positions or purposely misrepresenting them. BDS opposes Israel’s denial of Palestinian rights & dignity. People are entitled to express their views in this country and should support this nonviolent movement.”
This is a lie. @DemMaj4Israel are either ignorant of the movement's positions or purposely misrepresenting them.
BDS opposes Israel's denial of Palestinian rights & dignity.
People are entitled to express their views in this country and should support this nonviolent movement. https://t.co/ctBJk9e0rw pic.twitter.com/Bdi3JrvQ2L
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 26, 2021
DMFI responded with a tweet noting that Omar stated opposition to the BDS in 2018 as an impediment to a two-state solution. In a subsequent tweet, the group highlighted a video from BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti stating, “We oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. No Palestinian — rational Palestinian, not a sell-out Palestinian — will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine.”
Your stance is curious considering you opposed BDS as a candidate.
“BDS is not helpful in getting a two-state solution.”
–@Ilhan at a candidate forum in Aug 2018pic.twitter.com/J6TkHgfb3F https://t.co/HnEHZk251K
— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) January 26, 2021
And here’s BDS Co-Founder Omar Barghouti: "Most definitely, we oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine. No Palestinian — rational Palestinian, not a sell-out Palestinian — will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine."pic.twitter.com/CAiWpNNbuR
— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) January 26, 2021
The Stop Antisemitism.org watchdog also noted that Omar once argued in a tweet that sanctions haven’t worked in Iran, North Korea and Cuba and that “it’s time Congress rethinks the humanitarian, human rights, and geographical impacts of our sanctions.”
This you boo? https://t.co/PrziLXluEa pic.twitter.com/yBSdKXoiGO
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 26, 2021
The progressive Jewish group IfNotNow, on the other hand, defended Omar and accused DMFI of being “ignorant of BDS’s positions AND purposely misrepresenting them. Thanks for standing up to AIPAC 2.0’s blatant lies, @IlhanMN.” Omar retweeted IfNotNow’s tweet.
In January 2020, Omar was asked by conservative reporter Julio Rosas about why she opposed sanctions against Iran but favors BDS; the congresswoman replied, “The BDS movement is a movement that is driven by the people. The sanctions on Iran are sanctions that are being placed to create maximum pressure by a government. That’s very different.”
