Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks during a news conference on March 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released a statement on June 10 denying that she equated the United States and Israel with Hamas and the Taliban.
Omar tweeted on June 7, “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.”
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’s June 10 statement said that she was asking Secretary of State Antony Blinken about current International Criminal Court (ICC) cases. “The conversation was about accountability for specific incidents, not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the United States and Israel.
“I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems.”
Ilhan Omar just now: “I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems.” pic.twitter.com/zvvNnHnCXB
— Jerry Christmas 🎅🏼🎄 (@JerryDunleavy) June 10, 2021
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and the rest of the House Democratic leadership said that they welcomed Omar’s clarification that “that there is no moral equivalency between the U.S. and Israel and Hamas and the Taliban.”
.@SpeakerPelosi and her leadership team just put out a joint statement on @Ilhan Omar. pic.twitter.com/NPMKxnOoLZ
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) June 10, 2021
In a June 9 statement, 12 House Democrats called on Omar to “clarify” her remarks, calling them “offensive” and “misguided.” “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.”
They added that “false equivalencies give cover to terrorist groups. We urge Congresswoman Omar to clarify her words placing the US and Israel in the same category as Hamas and the Taliban.”
Group of House Democrats is out with a statement tonight condemning Ilhan Omar’s recent comments, saying they “give cover to terrorist groups.” pic.twitter.com/kDxSkb7OCi
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) June 10, 2021
Omar responded later that evening in a tweet that read, “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.”
She added in a subsequent tweet, “Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC [International Criminal Court] isn’t comparison or from ‘deeply seated prejudice’. You might try to undermine these investigations or deny justice to their victims but history has thought us that the truth can’t be hidden or silenced forever.”
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
Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC isn’t comparison or from “deeply seated prejudice”. You might try to undermine these investigations or deny justice to their victims but history has thought us that the truth can’t be hidden or silenced forever.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021
Democratic Majority for Israel praised the 12 House Democrats who spoke out against Omar. “Her comparison of the US & Israel, on the one hand, to Hamas & the Taliban on the other, reflects either the lack of a moral compass, the failure to understand the facts, or both,” they tweeted.
We applaud the House Democrats who spoke out against Rep. @Ilhan Omar's misguided remarks. Her comparison of the US & Israel, on the one hand, to Hamas & the Taliban on the other, reflects either the lack of a moral compass, the failure to understand the facts, or both. https://t.co/pln2boIBGa
— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) June 10, 2021
The Jewish Democratic Council of America tweeted that they “will be meeting with Rep. Omar during our Week of Action to discuss her recent comments on Israel, as well as other priorities of Jewish Dems in Minnesota. There is no equivalence between Israel and terrorist organizations such as Hamas.”
Jewish Dems will be meeting with Rep. Omar during our Week of Action to discuss her recent comments on Israel, as well as other priorities of Jewish Dems in Minnesota. There is no equivalence between Israel and terrorist organizations such as Hamas.
— Jewish Dems (@USJewishDems) June 10, 2021
American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris tweeted that Omar’s spokesperson said, “As usual, the far right is ginning up hate against [her].” But “what unites” the 12 Democrats who spoke out against her is that they’re “all Democrats,” Harris noted. “Far right? Hardly.”
Rep. Omar’s spokesperson: “As usual, the far right is ginning up hate against [her].”
What unites Reps. Auchincloss, Deutch, Frankel, Gottheimer, Luria, Manning, Nadler, Phillips, Schneider, Schrier, Sherman, DWS?
All Democrats. All condemned Omar’s words.
Far right? Hardly. https://t.co/hl6pamoYca
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) June 10, 2021
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tweeted that Omar’s remarks were “abhorrent.” “Speaker Pelosi’s continued failure to address the issues in her caucus sends a message to the world that Democrats are tolerant of anti-Semitism and sympathizing with terrorists. It’s time for the Speaker to act.”
Rep. Omar's anti-Semitic & anti-American comments are abhorrent.
Speaker Pelosi’s continued failure to address the issues in her caucus sends a message to the world that Democrats are tolerant of anti-Semitism and sympathizing with terrorists.
It’s time for the Speaker to act.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) June 10, 2021
Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have both defended Omar on Twitter.
“Pretty sick & tired of the constant vilification, intentional mischaracterization, and public targeting of @IlhanMN coming from our caucus,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “They have no concept for the danger they put her in by skipping private conversations & leaping to fueling targeted news cycles around her.”
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
Tlaib similarly tweeted that House colleagues’ “obsession with policing [Omar] 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.”
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
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