#Ilhan Omar feuds with Jewish Democrats after she equated US, Israel with Taliban

Progressive Rep. Ilhan Omar blasted her Jewish Democratic colleagues over their pushback on her remarks comparing the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban, accusing them of “harassment” and being “islamophobic” in a Twitter tirade Thursday. 

The feud ignited after Omar tweeted a video of her line of questioning during a hearing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, captioned, “We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.”

In the clip Omar says, “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban” — sparking sharp pushback from pro-Israel Democratic and GOP lawmakers. 

Following a joint statement from 12 Jewish Democratic lawmakers calling for her to clarify her remarks, the Minnesota progressive took to Twitter to accuse her colleagues of utilizing “islamophobic tropes.”  

“Equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is 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,” the statement — spearheaded by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) — said.

“The United States and Israel are imperfect and, like all democracies, at times deserving of critique, but 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.”

Omar claimed that her Democratic critics are opportunists, alleging that they “call me when they need my support” yet publicly blast her before personally approaching her about her rhetoric. 

“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,” she tweeted. 

“The islamophobic tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable.”

Omar’s comments led to a slew of GOP lawmakers calling for her removal from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 

“Ilhan Omar must be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She should have never been appointed to this Committee in the first place,” Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) tweeted. 

Her most recent comments are not the first time she has come under fire for her rhetoric on Israel, with the House having passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia in 2019 after Omar made accusations against Jews of dual loyalty, and accused supporters of Israel of being “all about the Benjamins.”