Ilhan Omar at the Center of Controversy Surrounding Her Comments

A group of Jewish Democrats in the House are chastising Rep. Ilhan Omar by name after she made comments on Monday they say placed the U.S. and Israel in the same category as Hamas and the Taliban. The comments Omar made were in reference to investigations by the International Criminal Court.

We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.

We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.

I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021

On Wednesday, a group of 12 released a statement asking Omar for clarification.

Citing an open case against Israel, US, Hamas & Taliban in the ICC isn’t comparison or from “deeply seated prejudice”. 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.

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021

In 2019, House Democrats passed a resolution 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. In 2019, the Democrats did not call out Omar by name, but Wednesday’s statement did — pointing to a full-fledged intra-party controversy.

No doubt Republicans will be gleeful and add their own criticism soon, possibly introducing a resolution next week to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Complete story at Axios

More background here.