Ilhan Omar claims Jewish Democrats ‘harassing her’ as public feud over Israel splits party

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US rep Ilhan Omar has claimed that Jewish Democrats are “harassing her” after members called her controversial remarks on Israel “offensive” and “misguided” as the public feud with the lawmaker threatens to divide the party.

A group of Jewish Democrats and Ms Omar have clashed after she said “unthinkable atrocities” had been committed by the

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 group of Jewish Democrats in the House is publicly feuding with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) after she tweeted about “unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban,” in reference to investigations by the International Criminal Court.

Why it matters: The fight threatens to reopen a fault line within the party that could cost Omar her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, writes Punchbowl News.

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• The House previously passed a resolution by Democrats condemning anti-Semitism in response to comments on Israel by Omar, and Republicans have long accused the Minnesota congresswoman of anti-Semitism — a charge she denies.

Driving the news: “We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity,” Omar tweeted at Secretary of State Antony Blinken Monday, in reference to U.S. opposition to the International Criminal Court investigating potential war crimes in the Gaza conflict and Afghanistan.

• “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban,” she wrote.
• Jewish Democrats clash with Ilhan Omar after comments on U.S. and Israel

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• “Equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided,” they wrote. “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 United States and Israel are imperfect and, like all democracies, at times deserving of critique, but false equivalencies give cover to terrorist groups,” the Democrats added.

Omar responded in a tweet, saying it was “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,” Omar wrote.
• “Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC isn’t comparison or from ‘deeply seated prejudice,'” she added. “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.”

A question from Ilhan Omar sparks furore in US Congress

Muslim congresswoman accused of ‘drawing false equivalencies’ between the US, Israel, Hamas and the Taliban.

Democratic leaders in the United States House of Representatives sought to quell a furore among legislators on Thursday over a question Representative Ilhan Omar asked about US opposition to International Criminal Court (ICC) inquiries into alleged war crimes in Israel and Afghanistan.

Omar, one of only three Muslim members of the US House, had asked in a hearing on June 7 where victims of war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas should go to seek justice if the US opposes action at the ICC.