Ilhan Omar’s most recent comments have been stripped entirely of their context, their intentions twisted and reversed. Ilhan Omar’s criticism of US support for the Israeli government’s policies may make some people uncomfortable – and perhaps it even should. But such criticism does not constitute antisemitism, nor does it threaten the lives of American Jews or other marginalized people. If the Democratic party genuinely wants to combat antisemitism and other forms of bigotry, there are far better ways to do so than publicly disciplining Ilhan Omar for challenging US foreign policy on Israel. The party’s rush to censure her only reaffirms the truth of the very thing Omar is being criticized for asserting.

Source: The Guardian March 06, 2019 19:10 UTC