Newly elected congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has now come out in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, despite her stated opposition to it in the primary.
At an August forum, Omar said that BDS isn’t “helpful in getting that two-state solution.”
“I think the particular purpose for [BDS] is to make sure that there is pressure, and I think that pressure really is counteractive,” Omar said. “Because in order for us to have a process of getting to a two-state solution, people have to be willing to come to the table and have a conversation about how that is going to be possible and I think that stops the dialogue.”
However, Omar’s campaign told the Muslim Girl on Nov. 12 that Omar actually does support BDS.
“Ilhan believes in and supports the BDS movement, and has fought to make sure people’s right to support it isn’t criminalized,” the campaign said. “She does however, have reservations on the effectiveness of the movement in accomplishing a lasting solution.”
When TC Jewfolk pressed Omar on her apparent flip-flop, Omar replied that while she supports BDS, she has “reservations” about the long-term effects of BDS in finding a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. She added that this is what she said at the forum.
The Anti-Defamation League tweeted:
This is alarming. BDS doesn't just criticize Israel's gov., it denies its right to exist as a Jewish State. @IlhanMN also said she supports a two-state solution. Rep-Elect Omar, you owe it to your new constituents to clarify your views https://t.co/KkTFFfuPu8
— ADL (@ADL) November 15, 2018
As the Journal has previously reported, Omar tweeted in 2012 during Hamas’ rockets attacks against Israel, “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evils of Israel.” Omar has since claimed that the tweet wasn’t anti-Semitic, tweeting, “Drawing attention to the apartheid Israeli regime is far from hating Jews.” She later tweeted:
Well you know, if a Muslim says something negative about Israeli government, they must hate Jews. Didn’t you get that memo😜
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 31, 2018
As a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Omar voted against an anti-BDS bill because she didn’t want to abrogate “the ability of people to fight toward that justice and peace.”
Additionally, in January. 2016, Omar reportedly called for the University of Minnesota to divest from Israeli bonds.
Omar, along with newly congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who supports a one-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, will become the first two Muslim women to be elected to Congress.
