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Opinion // Keep It Up, Ilhan Why Netanyahu Assad’s New Syria: A

Omar
Doesn't Need AIPAC Police State With
Anymore Rampant Poverty and
a Playground for
Neither Hamas nor a black day, but a glimmer of hope on Capitol Hill Superpowers

Gideon Levy  |  Send me email alerts

Mar 07, 2019 12:19 PM

Gantz’s 'Mr. Security'


Quintessential Netanyahu Is Looking
‘Israeliness’ Is His Very Insecure Days
Secret Weapon Before the Election
Against Netanyahu

Then Representative-elect Ilhan Omar attends a press conference in the capitol, Washington D.C.,
November 30, 2018. Credit: AFP

● Ilhan Omar just doesn’t get why Americans support Israel
● Ocasio-Cortez defends Ilhan Omar as anti-Semitism storm roils
Democratic Party
● Trump blasts Ilhan Omar: 'Allegiance' remarks a 'dark day for Israel'

Maybe Mogadishu will turn out to be the source of hope. This war-
torn city was the birthplace of the most promising U.S.
congresswoman today.

Ilhan Omar is not only one of the first two female Muslim members
of the House of Representatives, she may herald a dramatic change
in that body. “Hamas has entered the House,” Roseanne Barr was
quick to cry out; “A black day for Israel,” tweeted Donald Trump.
Neither Hamas nor a black day, but a glimmer of hope on Capitol
Hill.

Maybe, for the first time in history, someone will dare tell the truth
to the American people, absorbing scathing accusations of anti- Related tags: Jews in America , 
Democratic Party ,  Anti-Semitism
Semitism, without bowing her head. The chances of this happening
aren’t great; the savage engine of the Jewish lobby and of Israel’s
“friends” is already doing everything it can to trample her.

The president mentioned removing her from the Senate Foreign


Relations Committee, and Congress was set to pass a resolution, the
second in one month, against uttering “anti-Semitic expressions,”
specifically aimed at Omar’s statements.

When will Americans and Europeans stop running scared every


time someone screams “anti-Semitism”? Until when will Israel and
the Jewish establishment succeed in exploiting (the existing) anti-
Semitism as a shield against criticism? When will the world dare to
distinguish between legitimate criticism of an illegitimate reality
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and anti-Semitism?

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U.S. Golan Recognition Proves Israel Can


Retain Occupied Territories, Senior Israeli
Official Says
Noa Landau |  13 Hours Ago 17

The gap between these two is great. There is anti-Semitism one


must fight, and there is criticism of Israel and the Jewish
establishment it is imperative to support. Manipulations exercised
by the Israeli propaganda machine and the Jewish establishment
have managed to make the two issues identical.

This is the greatest success of the Israeli government’s hasbara: Say


one critical word about Israel and you’re labeled an anti-Semite.
And labeled an anti-Semite, your fate is obvious. Omar has to break Netanyahu Needs to Crush Hamas or His
Rivals Will Crush Him. Listen to Chemi
this cursed cycle. Is the young representative from Minnesota up for Shalev
it? Can she withstand the power centers that have already mobilized Haaretz Weekly |  Yesterday
against her in full force?

Netanyahu's Party Has a New Strategy:


Haaretz Weekly Episode 17 Credit: Haaretz Gantz Is Cuckoo
Chaim Levinson |  14 Hours Ago 7
>> Ilhan Omar and the Democrats' Dilemma: Punish anti­
Semitism, or Appease It, Corbyn Style >> Ilhan Omar Has
Sparked Panic in AIPAC

Maybe it’s important that she knows there are people in Israel
crossing fingers for her? 

Her success and that of her congressional colleagues, Rashida Tlaib


from Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York, could
On a Clear Day in the West Bank, You Can
be the first swallows that herald the coming of spring. This is the
See the Israel You Lost Forever
spring of freely expressing opinions about Israel in America. Cortez Bradley Burston |  24.03.2019 19
already asked this week why isn’t bigotry aimed at other groups
condemned just like statements against Israel are.

Trump Handed Netanyahu the Golan With a


Bow on Top
Noa Landau |  Yesterday 5

Promoted content

What, after all, has Omar said? That pro-Israel activists demand
“allegiance to a foreign country”; that U.S. politicians support Israel
because of money they receive from the pro-Israel lobby group
AIPAC, and that “Israel hypnotized the world.” What is incorrect in
these statements? Why is describing reality considered anti-
Semitic?

Jews have immense power in the U.S., far beyond the relative size of
their community, and the blind support given by their
establishment to Israel raises legitimate questions regarding dual
loyalty. Their power derives from their economic success, their
organizational skills and the political pressure they exert. Omar
dared to speak about this.

Just imagine what Israelis and Jews would feel if Muslim Americans
had the same political, economic and cultural power Jews have.
Such power, above all the intoxication with power that has seized
hold of the Jewish establishment, comes with a price. Omar and her
colleagues are trying to collect on it.

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Sarsour NYU Event Draws Small Protest,


Much Applause as Activist Praises pro-BDS
Students
Danielle Ziri |  14 Hours Ago 4

Due to the Israel lobby, the U.S. does not know the truth about what
is happening here. Congress members, senators and shapers of
public opinion who are flown here ad nauseam see only Israeli
victimhood and Palestinian terror, which apparently emerged out of
nowhere. Islamists, Qassam rockets and incendiary balloons – not a
word about occupation, expropriation, refugees and military
tyranny. Questions such as where the money goes and whether it
serves American interests are considered heresy. When talking
Donald Trump Has Just Legitimized Israel's
about Israel one must not ask questions or raise doubts. Illegal Conquest of Occupied Territory
Victor Kattan |  Yesterday 9
This cycle has to be broken as well. It’s not right and it’s not good
for the Jews. Omar is now trying to introduce a new discourse to
Congress and to public opinion. Thanks to her and her colleagues
there is a chance for a change in America. From Israel we send her
our wishes for success.

When will the world dare to distinguish between legitimate criticism


of an illegitimate Israeli reality and anti-Semitism?

A War Now Will Strengthen Hamas


Gideon Levy Amira Hass |  Yesterday 3

Haaretz Correspondent

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Anshel Pfeffer |  24.03.2019 3

Haaretz Poll: 42% of Israelis Back West Bank


Annexation, Including Two-state Supporters
Dina Kraft |  Yesterday 21

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