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U.S. Congresswoman Omar In Hot Water Over Israel Tweets Perceived As Anti-Semitic

United States President Donald Trump slammed first-term congresswoman Ilan Omar (D-Minnesota) who implied that American political support for Israel is being bought with Jewish money. Omar created a firestorm Monday after writing on social media that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s call for her and Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) to be condemned for their criticism of Israel was “all about the Benjamins baby,” a slang term for $100 bills. She then named AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby group that does not endorse candidates or contribute to their campaigns as the primary culprit. Following denunciations from Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Omar backtracked and apologized, writing, “I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole.” Both Omar and her counterpart Tlaib—who is of Palestinian descent—are proponents of the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, sanctions movement. The latter also recently came under fire for appearing with an activist that promotes the so-called “right of return” of some five million Palestinian refugees to Israel, which many consider a veiled attempt to destroy the Jewish state through demographic means.