Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in the US congress, “unequivocally” apologised yesterday after suggesting US support for Israel is fuelled by money from a pro-Israel lobby group.
The Minnesota first termer has faced criticism for weeks over her positions on the Jewish state, but it boiled over late on Sunday after she reacted to a Republican critic in a tweet.
“It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” Ms Omar replied, referring to $US100 bills featuring the likeness of Benjamin Franklin.
When a user asked who Ms Omar believed was paying US politicians to support Israel, the former Somali refugee tweeted a one-word response — “AIPAC!” — referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The exchanges triggered an uproar, with House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi castigating Ms Omar and demanding an “immediate” apology for using “anti-Semitic tropes” in her tweet, and several Democrats and Republicans assailed their colleague for her language.
Ms Omar obliged, issuing a statement acknowledging that anti-Semitism is “real” and expressing gratitude to colleagues “who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes”. “We have to be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity,” she said. “This is why I unequivocally apologise.”
Read the report in The Australian (AFP).