Photo from Wikimedia Commons. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) issued a tweet thread on Monday night explaining that she had “unknowingly” used an “anti-Semitic trope” when she accused Israel of hypnotizing the world in 2012.
Omar’s tweets were in response to an op-ed by New York Times columnist Bari Weiss explaining the “bloody history” behind the anti-Semitic trope of Jews hypnotizing the world.
“In all sincerity, it was after my CNN interview that I heard from Jewish orgs. that my use of the word ‘Hypnotize’ and the ugly sentiment it holds was offensive,” Omar wrote.
She later added, “It’s now apparent to me that I spent lots of energy putting my 2012 tweet in context and little energy is disavowing the anti-semitic trope I unknowingly used, which is unfortunate and offensive.”
Hi @bariweiss,
You are correct when you say,
“Perhaps Ms. Omar is sincerely befuddled and not simply deflecting”
In all sincerity, it was after my CNN interview that I heard from Jewish orgs. that my use of the word “Hypnotize” and the ugly sentiment it holds was offensive. pic.twitter.com/IxPScaSzGw
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
That statement came in the context of the Gaza War.
It’s now apparent to me that I spent lots of energy putting my 2012 tweet in context and little energy is disavowing the anti-semitic trope I unknowingly used, which is unfortunate and offensive.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
With that said, it is important to distinguish between criticizing a military action by a government and attacking a particular people of faith.
I will not shy away of criticism of any government when I see injustice —whether it be Saudi Arabia, Somalia, even our own government!
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
As a survivor of war, the acts of war justified or not will always be acts of evil to me.
Like #MLK90, I unapologetically believe “Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind."
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
It is important that when you see oppression taking place – when you see our values being attacked as humans – you stand up, and it doesn't matter who the inhabitors of that particular region might be.
Whether it is your father, your brother or your sister, you speak up.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
It is important that when you see oppression taking place – when you see our values being attacked as humans – you stand up, and it doesn't matter who the inhabitors of that particular region might be.
Whether it is your father, your brother or your sister, you speak up.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
There are many narratives of who and what I am, designed to demonize and vilify me.
It’s being building since my early days as an organizer. A concussion didn’t deter me and smears certainly won’t . I fought for my seat at the table & will use it to fight a more peaceful world!
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
Weiss responded to Omar by inviting her to discuss the topic more:
Thank you, Rep. @IlhanMN, for reading and for addressing. Please consider this an open invitation to @nytopinion, where I would be happy to talk more about anti-Semitism and Israel with you. https://t.co/eseHWOltzG
— Bari Weiss (@bariweiss) January 22, 2019
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted praise for Omar’s “honest apology”:
Hats off to @bariweiss for her op-ed on why the Jewish community was disturbed by @IlhanMN 2012 tweet evoking old anti-Semitic trope. And hats off to Rep Omar for her honest apology & commitment to a more just world. Open & respectful conversations will help us achieve this goal. https://t.co/zCpoFH8bSK
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) January 22, 2019
Seth Mandel, the executive editor of the Washington Examiner Magazine and a frequent critic of Omar, tweeted that Omar’s thread was “very much a step in the right direction”:
This is very much a step in the right direction, and it should be acknowledged https://t.co/CgWFIImBCw
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 22, 2019
Without question. But it's a sign that maybe, finally, Omar is ready to listen to the minority community she has attacked and then ignored. https://t.co/KcmgYSA5kI
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 22, 2019
Here's the thing with Omar: a big part of what bothered the Jewish community was her doubling down & ignoring calls for clarification & dialogue. Do I think this solves everything? No, but I'm not God. That's not the point. If we want ppl to listen to us, we should listen to them
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 22, 2019
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted that while Omar’s tweets were “a step in the right direction,” she needs to be more “consistent in her condemnations”:
While this is a step in the right direction, it would be right for @IlhanMN to recognize the dangers of missile barrages from Gaza led by Hamas which in their own words are committed to Israel’s destruction. When she’s ready to condemn Hamas we’ll feel less threatened by her. https://t.co/Ri0J6yYBRC
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) January 22, 2019
Curious that we haven’t heard much from her in condemnation of China which is repressing more than 1,000,000 Uighur Muslims. Until she’s consistent in her condemnations, she’s just another “selective humanitarian” where the lives of certain people matter more than others. https://t.co/wbH2EAWzHX
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) January 22, 2019
Others didn’t think her apology was genuine:
Oh sure, Omar just spontaneously came up with Protocol of Zion-like phrases like “hypnotizing the world” to talk about Jewish “evil.” Completely plausible! https://t.co/nC8QVsyf0c
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) January 22, 2019
Seriously @IlhanMN?
You said Israel was “hypnotizing the world” to carry out “evil”. And now you're saying you didn't know it was Antisemitic?
Oh please. People had said that repeatedly to you. This fake 'apology' only comes now because you were further exposed in NYT! https://t.co/lcpU7Oszi7
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) January 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/Communism_Kills/status/1087728691931742208
https://twitter.com/Communism_Kills/status/1087729861362368513
In May, Omar responded to a tweet critical of her hypnosis tweet by tweeting, “Drawing attention to the apartheid Israeli regime is far from hating Jews. You are a hateful sad man, I pray to Allah you get the help you need and find happiness.”
On January 16, Omar told journalist Christiane Amanpour, “Those unfortunate words were the only words I could think about expressing at that moment, and what is really important to me is that people recognize that there is a difference between criticizing a military action by a government that has exercised really oppressive policies and being offensive or attacking to a particular people of faith.”
Omar told CNN the next day, “I don’t know how my comments would be offensive to Jewish Americans. My comments precisely are addressing what was happening during the Gaza war and I am clearly speaking about the way that the Israeli regime was conducting itself in that war.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on Jan. 16 that Omar will sit on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which deals with matters involving Israel.
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