Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) blasted Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) over her anti-Semitism as the three leaders spoke at AIPAC this week — which triggered a meltdown reaction from Omar.
“What weakens us is, instead of engaging in legitimate debate about policies, someone questions the motives of his or her fellow citizens,” Hoyer said in a clear shot at Omar, who had questioned the loyalties of U.S. politicians. “So let’s have debates on policy instead of imputing the loyalty of Israel’s supporters.”
“I stand with Israel, proudly and unapologetically,” Hoyer said. “So when someone accuses American supporters of dual loyalty, I say: accuse me.”
Hoyer then blasted the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign that Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) both support and on which Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) refuses to take a clear stance.
“When the curtain is pulled back, everyone can see what the [BDS] movement truly is: a front for delegitimizing the Jewish people’s right to self-determination,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer took aim at the three anti-Semitic freshman Democrats, saying: “By the way, there are 62 freshman Democrats. Do you hear me? There are 62, not three.”
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“Ladies and gentlemen, in recent weeks, we’ve heard a lot about the rise of forces who want to pull America and Israel apart,” Netanyahu said. “So I can tell you one thing. I guarantee you this. They will fail. They will fail.”
“Those who seek to defame this great organization AIPAC, those who seek to undermine American support for Israel, they must be confronted,” Netanyahu continued. “Despite what they claim, they do not merely criticize the policies of Israel’s government. G-d I’m used to that. That happens every five minutes. They do something else. They spew venom that has long been directed at the Jewish people.”
“Again, the Jews are cast as a force for evil. Again, the Jews are charged with disloyalty. Again, the Jews are said to have too much influence, too much power, too much money,” Netanyahu continued. “The best way to respond to those who hate the Jews is not to bow down to them. It’s to stand up to them.”
“So I have a message to all the anti-Semites out there … the Jewish people do not bow down,” Netanyahu added. “We stand up. We fight. And we win.”
“My friends, ladies and gentlemen, some people will just never get it. They’ll never understand why the vast majority of Americans – Jews and non-Jews alike – support Israel,” Netanyahu concluded in the portion of his speech talking about anti-Semitism. “Take it from this Benjamin, it’s not about the Benjamins. The reason the people of America support Israel is not because they want our money, it’s because they share our values.”
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When Pelosi spoke, she also took shots at Omar: “In our democratic societies, we should welcome legitimate debate about how best to honor our values and to advance our priorities without questioning loyalty or patriotism.”
“This month, the full House came together to condemn the anti-Semitic myth of dual loyalty, and all forms of bigotry, with a resolution that ‘rejects the perpetuation of anti-Semitic stereotypes in the United States and around the world, including the pernicious myth of dual loyalty and foreign allegiance, especially in the context of support for the United States-Israel alliance,'” Pelosi said. “I simply declare to be anti-Semitic is to be anti-American. It has no place in our country.”
Pelosi later took a veiled shot at the three freshmen Democrats when she said that there were “signs” of anti-Semitism “in our own country.”
“We must also be vigilant against bigoted or dangerous ideologies masquerading as policy, and that includes BDS,” Pelosi said.
“Did you know this? It does not recognize — and many of its supporters don’t know or explicitly deny — it does not recognize the right of Jewish people to national self-determination,” Pelosi continued.
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Omar fired back at Pelosi over Pelosi’s comments at AIPAC, saying that it was beneath Pelosi to attack her First Amendment rights.
“A condemnation for people that want to exercise their First Amendment rights is beneath any leader, and I hope that we find a better use of language when we are trying to speak as members of Congress that are sworn to protect the Constitution,” Omar said.
The Hill reports that “Omar didn’t respond and kept walking with an aide when a reporter asked if she thought Pelosi’s comments were aimed at her or Tlaib.”
Omar also fired back numerous shots at Netanyahu, which are listed below with commentary from editors of media publications, lawyers, and politicians.
Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor at The Jerusalem Post:
Dov Hikind, Former New York State Democrat Assemblyman:
David Bernstein, law professor at Scalia Law School:
Seth Mandel, Executive Editor of Washington Examiner Mag:
Joel Pollak, Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart: