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ADL Calls Out Rep. Omar for Comparing Israel to Iran

[additional-authors]
January 31, 2019
Screenshot from Twitter.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called out Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in a tweet for comparing Israel’s nation-state law to Iran.

In a Jan. 30 interview with Yahoo! News, Omar said, “When I see Israel institute a law that recognizes it as a Jewish State and does not recognize the other religions living in it and we still uphold it as a democracy in the Middle East, I almost chuckle because I know if we see that in any other society we would criticize it, we would call it out. We do that to Iran, we do that to any other place that upholds its religion.”

The ADL tweeted in response, “There is no comparison between democratic Israel and repressive theocracies such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.”

“Like all countries, Israel has challenges, but its democratic system protects all its citizens regardless of their religion,” the tweet continued.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) similarly tweeted out, “In Israel, Muslims, Christians, and Jews have the same rights and freedoms. Israelis of all faiths participate fully in the country’s democratic institutions.”

“@IlhanMN’s implication that Israel isn’t a democracy isn’t only shameful – it’s just plain wrong,” they added.

Former New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind also took issue with Omar’s statement.

Omar serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

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