Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) dismissed concerns that a growing number of Muslims in Congress will eventually change the country’s attitude toward Israel.
Omar, the first naturalized African refugee Muslim woman in Congress responded to remarks made by Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama on last Wednesday’s “The Jeff Poor Show” on Alabama’s WVNN radio, on Aug. 21, as reported by RealClear Politics.
“Keep in mind—Muslims more so than most people have great animosity towards Israel and the Jewish faith,” Brooks said. “And as you have more and more Muslims in the United States, as they gain greater and greater influence in elections, particularly in Democratic Party primaries—then you’re going to see more and more people like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and company that are anti-Israel, and that brings an entirely different viewpoint into the United States Congress.
“I think you’re going to see this influence in the Democratic Party grow and grow and grow over time but ultimately become the dominant influence within the Democratic Party, where the Democratic Party will become very strongly anti-Jewish and anti-Israel,” Brooks said.
He continued, “I think it is a bad trend for the Democratic Party, but it is nonetheless where the Democratic Party is headed.”
Omar responded on Twitter, describing Brooks as “just a Republican who says something bigoted!”
In a follow-up post she wrote, “Also, if they are losing their minds over three Muslims in a body of 535, wonder what happens when there is 20 or more.”
Also, if they are losing their minds over three Muslims in a body of 535, wonder what happens when there is 20 or more ???? https://t.co/QwN9apFHUB
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 24, 2019
Since Omar was sworn into Congress in January, she has shaken the political arena with a number of controversial remarks, some of which have been condemned as anti-Semitic, or at least anti-Isreal.
During a town hall in March, Omar brought up the issue that for her as a member of Congress, she was expected to maintain allegiance to Israel. “So for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country, she said,” The Daily Caller reported.
A few days later, she reiterated her point: “I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee.”
In April this year, after the synagogue shooting in Poway, California, on April 27, she had to ward off accusations by TV-hostess Meghan McCain about her being complicit, The Washington Post reported.
“When we’re having conversations about anti-Semitism, we should be looking at the most extreme on both sides. I would bring up Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and some of her comments that got so much attention,” McCain, co-host of “The View,” said on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “In my opinion, Nancy Pelosi wasn’t hard enough in response to her trafficking in anti-Semitic language.”
Omar shared a clip of McCain’s ABC appearance, saying about her, “Oh, bless her heart.”
Oh, bless her heart! https://t.co/ynlQEes8d4
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 29, 2019
Omar shared a message on Twitter in condolence to the victims of the Poway shooting, stating that her “heart is breaking.” She continued, “We as a nation must confront the terrifying rise of religious hate and violence,” adding, “Love Trumps hate.”
