Jewish Americans come out in support of Ilhan Omar

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190306-in-open-letter-jewish-americans-come-out-in-support-of-ilhan-omar/

March 6, 2019 at 12:27 pm

American Jews, including prominent figures like Naomi Klein, have signed an open letter in support of Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

The letter states that she has been “falsely accused of antisemitism” and that there was nothing anti-Semitic about calling out the “noxious” role of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in American politics.

It went on to say that “The pro-Israel lobby has played an outsized role in producing nearly unanimous congressional support for Israel”, and slammed AIPAC and other lobby groups including the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the fossil fuel lobby for its “anti-democratic” legislative influence on US politics.

The letter finished by saying “We thank Ilhan Omar for having the bravery to shake up the congressional taboo against criticizing Israel. As Jews with a long tradition of social justice and anti-racism, AIPAC does not represent us.” and called on other Jews to sign the letter.

Omar has faced huge backlash after calling out AIPAC, including facing accusations of anti-Semitism from both Democrats and Republicans, floor action against her by Nancy Pelosi, and disturbing posters at a Republican event, linking her to the 9/11 attacks.

The charge of anti-Semitism comes after Omar said that the Republican Party’s threats against her and Palestinian-American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for criticising Israel was “all about the Benjamins, baby!” in reference to money allegedly paid to the party and its members to support Tel Aviv.

When she was asked to clarify who is paying members, she cited AIPAC, which has previously boasted about its financial influence in US politics.

Open letter link: http://jewswithilhan.org/

>>5536479

We Stand with Ilhan

http://jewswithilhan.org/

Join Naomi Klein, Ilan Pappé, Ronnie Kasrils, Sarah Jaffe, Rebecca Vilkomerson

& many more, to say:

We are Jews who stand with Representative Ilhan Omar. She has been falsely accused of anti-Semitism since tweeting that GOP threats against her and Representative Rashida Tlaib for criticizing Israel were “all about the Benjamins baby.” When asked to clarify who is paying members of Congress “to be pro-Israel,” Omar replied, “AIPAC!”

There is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic about calling out the noxious role of AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee), which spends millions each year to buy U.S. political support for Israeli aggression and militarism against the Palestinian people. As the NYC chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace summed up: “Accurately describing how the Israel lobby works in this country is not anti-Semitic. The never-ending smear campaign against Ilhan Omar is racism and Islamophobia in action.”

There is no denying that money rules U.S. politics, and that powerful lobbies from the NRA to the fossil fuel lobby to AIPAC play destructive, anti-democratic roles in our political system, wielding money for legislative influence. The pro-Israel lobby has played an outsized role in producing nearly unanimous congressional support for Israel. It has organized a national campaign to suppress Palestinian activism on campuses, made the Israel Anti-Boycott Act a legislative priority, and for decades has boasted about their power to make or break political careers. To point out this reality is not anti-Semitic.

Genuine anti-Semitism and the growth of white supremacy are indeed growing concerns in Donald Trump’s America. Omar and Tlaib, the first two Muslim congresswomen in this country’s history, are not part of this ugly growth of white supremacy. Instead, they are part of movements which seek to confront it. For that, and for their courageous support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, they are being smeared by a racist and Islamophobic chorus, including the House Democratic leadership itself.

As long as the Israeli state continues to militarily besiege, economically choke, and incessantly dispossess the Palestinian people, and as long as it does so with the full backing of the United States government, we need to speak out against these crimes. We thank Ilhan Omar for having the bravery to shake up the congressional taboo against criticizing Israel. As Jews with a long tradition of social justice and anti-racism, AIPAC does not represent us. #WeStandWithIlhan

Signed,

Elizabeth Aaronsohn

Stephen Aberle

Manal Abed

Said Aboukar

Husni Abualeinein

Ethan Ackelsberg, ISO, OSU Coalition for BDS Judith Ackerman

Adeela

Jeb Adems, Proud father, husband, and socialist!

Mohamed Oueld Ahmed

Mahmood Ahmed

Ali Aijaz

and 500 other jews.