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| "We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity," Ilhan Omar wrote, including a video of her questioning Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a committee hearing in the House of Representatives. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] A US congresswoman has hit back after a rare rebuke from Democratic colleagues over her remarks seeming to liken the US and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban. BBC reported that a dozen Jewish lawmakers called on Ilhan Omar to "clarify her words", but the Minnesota representative slammed the group's "tropes". This isn't the first time that Ms. Omar's criticism of Israel put her at odds with members of her own party. Previously in 2019, she apologized for implying money was behind support for Israel.
On Monday, Ms. Omar tweeted that "we have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the US, Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban". The row comes only weeks after hostilities in the Middle East ended in a ceasefire and amid rising reports of anti-Semitic attacks against American Jews. However, Ms. Omar's mention of militant Islamist groups Hamas and the Taliban in the same breath as the US and Israel rankled some of her fellow Democrats.
Meanwhile, Democratic views on Israel and the Palestinians have shifted dramatically over recent years, with sympathy moving to the latter at the expense of the former. There still is a substantial constituency within the party that supports Israeli policies, however, and their continued backing is essential to long-term Democratic electoral success.
