By Joshua Caplan
Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who has a long history of making antisemitic remarks, revealed that she will soon visit Israel.
Omar told J-Insider Capitol Hill reporter Laura Kelly on Wednesday that she will visit the Jewish state and “Palestine” in a “few weeks” and learn more about the so-called “occupation.”
“Everything that I hear points to both sides feeling like there is still an occupation,” she said.
Since coming to Washington last year, Omar has received intense scrutiny for her antisemitic remarks, though Democrat leaders have refused to take action.
In 2012, Omar wrote on Twitter that Israel had “hypnotized the world” and said, “may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings” of the Jewish state. The progressive lawmaker tweeted in February that supports in Congress for Israel is “all about the Benjamins baby,” falsely suggesting that American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) bribes lawmakers to support the country. The antisemitic remark drew praisefrom infamous white supremacist David Duke.
Although Omar eventually apologized for inferencing Jews buy influence on Capitol Hill, weeks later she claimed pro-Israel congressmen hold “allegiance to a foreign country.”
Top House Democrats condemned the statement, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), yet Omar would not apologize this time for her anti-Jewish slur.
Appearing Wednesday on CBS This Morning, Omar said she had no regrets about her past antisemitic comments. When asked by interviewer Gayle King if she had regrets, the progressive lawmaker replied: “I do not, but I am grateful for the opportunity to really learn how my words have made people feel and take every opportunity I have to make sure people understand that I apologize for it.”
Omar then claimed that she was “certainly not” antisemitic.
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