Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on April 9, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is being criticized on Twitter for stating that the United States, Israel, Hamas and the Taliban have all committed “unthinkable atrocities.”
Omar tweeted, “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.” The tweet contained a video of her asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken where victims of alleged war crimes are supposed to go for justice given the U.S.’s opposition to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Blinken responded that while he was “profoundly moved” at the loss of life during the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, the administration doesn’t believe that the ICC has jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He added that “whether it is the United States or Israel, we both have the mechanisms to make sure that there is accountability in any situations where there are concerns about the use of force and human rights.”
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
Several people on Twitter–including some of Omar’s colleagues in the House of Representatives–accused Omar of drawing a moral equivalency between the United States and Israel and terror organizations.
“Grouping the U.S. & Israel with the actions of Hamas & the Taliban is disgusting,” Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) tweeted. “@Ilhan does not deserve to represent America with these vile & completely false comparisons.”
Grouping the U.S. & Israel with the actions of Hamas & the Taliban is disgusting. @Ilhan does not deserve to represent America with these vile & completely false comparisons. https://t.co/PAVQsKwHPM
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) June 8, 2021
Representative Virginia Foxx similarly tweeted, “Congress needs condemn these distortions and alignments of Israel and the United States, and it should start with Rep. Omar’s own party. Will @HouseDemocrats take a stand and speak out against Rep. Omar’s rhetoric? Or will they sit back and do nothing?”
Congress needs condemn these distortions and alignments of Israel and the United States, and it should start with Rep. Omar’s own party.
Will @HouseDemocrats take a stand and speak out against Rep. Omar’s rhetoric? Or will they sit back and do nothing? https://t.co/Vpw3kk2e52
— Virginia Foxx (@virginiafoxx) June 8, 2021
Jewish groups also denounced her. The Simon Wiesenthal Center called for Omar to “be stripped of her committee assignments for accusing the U.S. of crimes against humanity.”
.@Ilhan should be stripped of her committee assignments for accusing the US of crimes against humanity https://t.co/7uiyZHMxkF
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) June 8, 2021
Stop Antisemitism also tweeted, “Wow – a sitting U.S. Congresswoman is unable to differentiate between democratic countries and terror organizations.”
Wow – a sitting U.S. Congresswoman is unable to differentiate between democratic countries and terror organizations. https://t.co/v6iTxVR5if
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 8, 2021
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who also heads Americans Against Antisemitism, tweeted, “This vile hater has the audacity to enjoy American freedom while using her position to demonize America by lumping it with Hamas and the Taliban! No mention of Iran, Turkey, Syria, China, or Russia. Odd… Unless you’re anti-American, then it makes total sense!”
This vile hater has the audacity to enjoy American freedom while using her position to demonize America by lumping it with Hamas and the Taliban!
No mention of Iran, Turkey, Syria, China, or Russia.
Odd…
Unless you’re anti-American, then it makes total sense! https://t.co/uyc3NS6qRb
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) June 8, 2021
Electronic Intifada co-founder Ali Abunimah also expressed outrage over Omar’s tweet, but for a vastly different reason. “Outrageous and offensive for @IlhanMN to compare Palestinians resisting US-backed apartheid in the same category as the US empire which has killed millions, and Israel’s illegitimate terrorist colonial regime. Omar must stop pandering to Zionists with anti-Palestinian attacks.”
Outrageous and offensive for @IlhanMN to compare Palestinians resisting US-backed apartheid in the same category as the US empire which has killed millions, and Israel’s illegitimate terrorist colonial regime. Omar must stop pandering to Zionists with anti-Palestinian attacks. https://t.co/myO44yXRaC
— Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) June 8, 2021
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