President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy surrounding a freshman Democrat and her use of language that’s been widely condemned as anti-Semitic in her critique of Israel.
But it’s unclear if Trump understands what the points of contention are.
In a tweet on Monday evening, Trump called out Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) “terrible comments concerning Israel,” and pointed out Democratic leadership’s efforts to condemn Omar’s rhetoric, which has been labeled anti-Semitic by Jewish lawmakers within the Party. Trump then concluded it was “a dark day for Israel,” even though it’s the Israeli government and pro-Israel groups that Omar called out.
Representative Ilhan Omar is again under fire for her terrible comments concerning Israel. Jewish groups have just sent a petition to Speaker Pelosi asking her to remove Omar from Foreign Relations Committee. A dark day for Israel!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2019
Omar was flooded with criticism over the weekend when she suggested that pro-Israel advocates have an “allegiance to a foreign country,” language that’s widely considered anti-Semitic because it perpetuates tropes about Jewish people’s loyalty to America. She also came under fire just a few weeks ago when she tweeted suggesting lawmakers who are pro-Israel are motivated by the financial backing of groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), even though the powerful lobbying group doesn’t make direct donations to lawmakers.
Omar hasn’t hidden her opposition to Israeli policies since before she was elected. She openly supports BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) against the Israeli government and has been outspoken about the sway AIPAC has in Washington.
“Even though”?
@nicole_lafond
6-8-67 U S S LIBERTY 34 AMERICAN Sailors died.
…everything she said is true
U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel [April 10, 2018] [open pdf - 1MB]
“Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. To date, the United States has provided Israel $134.7 billion (current, or noninflation-adjusted, dollars) in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding. Almost all U.S. bilateral aid to Israel is in the form of military assistance, although in the past Israel also received significant economic assistance. At a signing ceremony at the State Department on September 14, 2016, representatives of the U.S. and Israeli governments signed a new 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on military aid covering FY2019 to FY2028. Under the terms of the MOU, the United States pledges to provide $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants plus $5 billion in missile defense appropriations) to Israel. This MOU replaces a previous $30 billion 10-year agreement, which runs through FY2018.”
https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=809504
“A dark day for Israel” was when the Likud party took over.
I am really sick and tired of the loyalty of a few conservative American and Israeli politicians to the dreams of empire advanced by a few Jewish religious fanatics and promoted by the dreams of some American Christian religious fanatics for life ending planetary war blocking any chance for peace in the middle east. Isn’t it time we demanded peace? Just like Israeli kids Palestinian kids deserve a bright future.
If what I just said makes me anti-Semitic or anti-Christian, so be it. Peace is more important than the hateful dreams of fanatics be they Muslim, Jewish or Christian.