Far-left Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) defended her support of the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Thursday by claiming that it was “very different” from the U.S. government sanctioning Iran, which she fiercely opposes.
On Wednesday, Omar attacked the Trump administration for announcing new sanctions against Iran, which is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, in response to Iran’s missile attack on U.S. forces in Iraq.
“This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare,” Omar tweeted. “They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran. You cannot claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response!”
Later at a press conference Omar doubled-down: “Since he got into office, the president of the United States has been angering Iran into war, first he canceled our best shot at avoiding armed conflict: the Iran nuclear deal. Then he announced crippling sanctions to starve the innocent people of Iran.”
Omar, a documented anti-Semite who was named 2019’s ‘Anti-Semite Of The Year,’ was slammed by critics who noted her hypocrisy because of her avid support for BDS, which is designed to destroy the state of Israel.
Omar was pressed on the issue on Thursday by a reporter in Washington, D.C., who asked Omar about her blatant hypocrisy.
“The BDS movement is a movement that is driven by the people,” Omar said. “The sanctions on Iran, are sanctions that are being placed to create maximum pressure by a government. That’s very different.”
WATCH:
I asked Rep. Omar what her response is to those calling out her support for BDS against Israel while criticizing sanctions against Iran. She said it's "very different" bc BDS is by the people, while Iranian sanctions is by a gov to create maximum pressure.https://t.co/3TVNGFpWy1 pic.twitter.com/e2kC3qfllD
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 9, 2020
The blog Legal Insurrection responded to Omar’s comments by writing, “BDS activists try to get governments to boycott Israel. So she’s just a liar, but she remembered her talking points.”
Critics on Twitter mocked Omar for her failed attempt to explain the difference between BDS and the U.S. government’s sanctions on Iran.
One Twitter user wrote, “this makes no sense when you consider she wanted to pass a pro-BDS resolution but sure ok @IlhanMN”
this makes no sense when you consider she wanted to pass a pro-BDS resolution but sure ok @IlhanMN https://t.co/riX5orHFXq
— Ashley ✡️ (@ashleyblair21) January 10, 2020
Another popular account on Twitter wrote, “Lmfao… she’s a f***ing moron To be fair, all antisemtic garbage are f***ing morons.”
Lmfao… she’s a fucking moron
To be fair, all antisemtic garbage are fucking morons https://t.co/GQV8ChW2Oo
— Jay Malak (@KobbeMalak) January 9, 2020
Congressional Leadership Fund Rapid Response Director Matthew Foldi wrote: “By ‘very different,’ @IlhanMN is referring to the fact that BDS is a bunch of racist anti-Semites whereas government sanctions have nothing to do with bigotry.”
By “very different,” @IlhanMN is referring to the fact that BDS is a bunch of racist anti-Semites whereas government sanctions have nothing to do with bigotry #MN05 https://t.co/rlSh430ee4
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) January 10, 2020
Seattle based radio host Jason Rantz wrote: “Actual difference: BDS targets Jews and Ilhan Omar is a vicious anti-Semite.”
Actual difference: BDS targets Jews and Ilhan Omar is a vicious anti-Semite. https://t.co/x8MayGhhaK
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) January 10, 2020
Last week, Omar attacked President Donald Trump for ordering the drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, head of the Quds Force, which is a designated terrorist organization.
Omar suggested, without evidence, that Trump may have launched the strike to distract from his Senate impeachment trial — a conspiracy theory that was quickly debunked as Trump has repeatedly called attention to the Senate trial by tweeting about it.
The next day Omar said that she was “outraged” by the strike that killed Soleimani, who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans.
Omar later solicited donations off of her attacks on the president for going after Iran.