Representative Ilhan Omar backed down Thursday after being criticized by Nancy Pelosi and Democrat leadership, issuing a statement clarifying remarks in which she appeared to equate the United States and Israel to the Taliban and Hamas.
“To be clear: the conversation was about accountability for specific incidents regarding those ICC (International Criminal Court) cases, not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the U.S. and Israel,” Omar said Thursday.
“I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems.”
Former President Donald Trump last year authorized sanctions against the ICC after the group gave the green light to a probe into alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan by the United States military.
“The United States will continue to use any means necessary to protect our citizens and our allies from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court,” former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said at the time.
OMAR with a new statement:
“To be clear: the conversation was… not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the U.S. and Israel.
“I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems.”
— Cristina Marcos (@cimarcos) June 10, 2021
RELATED: Over 10 Democrats Issue Statement Condemning Ilhan Omar’s Comparison Of US To The Taliban
Backlash Over Ilhan Omar’s Initial Statement
Ilhan Omar (D-MN) created controversy with her initial statement on Twitter in which she shared a video of herself questioning Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the ICC.
“We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity,” she captioned the tweet. “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.”
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
A caucus of Jewish Democrats discussed condemning Omar for her comments, with a dozen ultimately putting their name to a statement doing so.
“Equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided,” the statement reads in part, before accusing Omar of making comments that provide “false equivalence” and “give cover to terrorist groups.”
Omar was initially defiant, accusing the Democrats of engaging in “Islamophobic tropes” and “constant harassment.”
It’s shameful for colleagues who call me when they need my support to now put out a statement asking for “clarification” and not just call.
The islamophobic tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable. https://t.co/37dy2UduW0
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021
Squad Member Defiant
Ilhan Omar changed her tune shortly thereafter, however.
“Omar backed down,” according to The Hill, “issuing a more nuanced statement that explained that she was speaking about specific human rights investigations.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), along with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), and others on her leadership team issued a statement thanking her for the clarification.
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But, they warned, making “false equivalencies” between the United States and the Taliban is unacceptable.
.@SpeakerPelosi and her leadership team just put out a joint statement on @Ilhan Omar. pic.twitter.com/NPMKxnOoLZ
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) June 10, 2021
“Drawing false equivalencies between democracies like the U.S. and Israel and groups that engage in terrorism like Hamas and the Taliban foments prejudice and undermines progress toward a future of peace and security for all,” the statement reads.
“We welcome the clarification by Congresswoman Omar that there is no moral equivalency between the U.S. and Israel and Hamas and the Taliban,” it concluded.
Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has staunchly defended Omar, kept up her attacks on Democrats daring to hold her colleague accountable for the controversial statements by branding them racists.
Freedom of speech doesn’t exist for Muslim women in Congress. The benefit of the doubt doesn’t exist for Muslim women in Congress. House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 10, 2021
“Freedom of speech doesn’t exist for Muslim women in Congress,” Tlaib tweeted. “The benefit of the doubt doesn’t exist for Muslim women in Congress.”
“House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.”
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