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.
Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a fo… https://t.co/jrmMLSfqez— Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan Omar) 1551643002.0
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."
No member of Congress is asked to swear allegiance to another country. Throughout history, Jews have been accused o… https://t.co/qVO8SRB2BZ— Nita Lowey (@Nita Lowey) 1551650559.0