Just two days after a top House Democrat condemned Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) for her troubling history of anti-Semitism, the freshman lawmaker ignited controversy once again on Sunday when she appeared to accuse a Jewish congresswoman of wanting her to pledge allegiance to Israel.
Omar's comments seemed to double down on her belief that pro-Israel lawmakers hold dual loyalty. Such accusations are exhausted anti-Semitic charges.
What happened?
On Sunday, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), who is Jewish, called for Omar to "engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community" to understand why "anti-Semitic tropes that accuse Jews of dual loyalty" are offensive and considered racist.
Gross islamophobic stereotypes - like those about @IlhanMN recently featured on posters in WVA - are offensive and have no place in political discourse. Anti-Semitic tropes that accuse Jews of dual loyalty are equally painful and must also be roundly condemned.
— Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) March 2, 2019
Lawmakers must be able to debate w/o prejudice or bigotry. I am saddened that Rep. Omar continues to mischaracterize support for Israel. I urge her to retract this statement and engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community on why these comments are so hurtful.
— Nita Lowey (@NitaLowey) March 2, 2019
Lowey's comments came after House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) condemned Omar for suggesting last week that pro-Israel lawmakers hold "allegiance to a foreign country."
How did Omar respond to Lowey's comments?
She essentially doubled down on her charge that pro-Israel lawmakers have dual loyalty, adding that she believes she is being pressured to support Israel.
She added that she finds it "problematic" that she is told she is not American because she is not pro-Israel.
"My Americanness is questioned by the President and the @GOP on a daily basis, yet my colleagues remain silent. I know what it means to be American and no one will ever tell me otherwise," Omar said, adding,"Being opposed to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the occupation is not the same as being anti-Semitic."
How did Lowey respond?
In kind, explaining — again — why Omar's comments are considered deeply offensive and anti-Semitic. She also rebutted Omar's accusation that she wanted Omar to swear allegiance to "support a foreign country."
