Washington, DC – United States Republicans have removed Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for criticizing Israel in the past, criticizing and criticizing Democrats.
In a 218-211 vote along party lines, the House voted Thursday to remove Omar — a former Somali refugee and one of two Muslim women in Congress — from her post.
Republican lawmakers said Omar’s “anti-Semitic” and “anti-Israel” actions disqualified him from political office.
But before the vote, Omar said that Republicans are targeting him because of his popularity.
“There is a sense that you are suspect if you are a foreigner or if you are from other parts of the world or a certain skin color or a Muslim,” Omar said. “It is no coincidence that members of the Republican Party accused the first black president, Barack Obama, of being a secret Muslim.”
Representation is an issue.
We did not come to Congress to be silent.
We came to Congress to be a voice for families who have fled refugee camps and for those seeking justice around the world.
Because that’s what this war survivor would have wanted. pic.twitter.com/BaLD5bZybV
– Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) February 2, 2023
Omar added that he is not disappointed by the Republican move.
“If I don’t sit on this committee for one term, my voice will be louder and my leadership will be celebrated around the world as it has been,” the congressman said. “So take your vote or not. I’m here to stay.
The White House said Omar’s removal from the committee was “politically problematic” and “unhelpful to the American people”.
“Congresswoman Omar is a highly respected member of Congress,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday, noting that Omar had apologized for past comments about Israel.
In 2019, Omar faced bipartisan anger when he reported that political donations from pro-Israel groups – including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) – support Israel in Washington. He later denied that statement.
In the past two years, AIPAC and other pro-Israel organizations have spent millions of dollars in congressional elections to defeat progressives who support Palestinian human rights.
Although the Republican resolution condemned Omar for anti-Semitism, it only mentioned Israel, not Jews.
For example, the measure calls on the congresswoman to describe Israel as a “separate country”, although the leaders of human rights groups – including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch – have also criticized Israel for establishing a system of discrimination against the Palestinians.
“I had a member of the Republican Party threaten my life and the Republican Party rewarded him with one of the most prestigious jobs in this Congress.”
Watch Rep. AOC responds that Republicans will remove Rep. @They Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/A22R7jQrlC
– Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) February 2, 2023
Tennessee Republican Representative David Kustoff accused Omar on Thursday of spreading “hateful beliefs”.
“As leaders of our country, we have the power and responsibility to help fight anti-Semitism and ensure that our children – the leaders of tomorrow – are taught that such words are unacceptable,” Kustoff said.
But several Jewish Democrats defended Omar. Dean Phillips – who, like Omar, represents a congressional district in Minnesota – called the Republican push against the congresswoman “a weapon of anti-Semitism”, which he said he considered “disgusting” as a Jewish person.
“The greatest danger of elected officials in a democracy is to suppress dissenting voices, even those we disagree with,” Phillips said on the floor of the House.
Republicans insisted that the decision to oust Omar was about accountability, not retaliation. The Democrats previously removed Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from the committees assigned to them in 2021 due to previous comments on terrorism, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive House leader, said Omar’s goal was to add to the legacy of violence against American Muslims since September 11, 2001.
“There is nothing consistent with what the Republican Party continues to do, other than racism and promoting violence against women of this color,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Most sensitive votes to be removed @They it wasn’t about accountability.
It was about political revenge.
I will move immediately to appoint Representative Omar to the House Committee.
Where they can defend democratic values against right-wing terrorists.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) February 2, 2023
As Arab, Muslim and Palestinian rights groups rushed to defend Omar before voting on Thursday, the congresswoman supported a resolution called “recognizing Israel as a legitimate partner of America and a democracy and condemning anti-Semitism”.
The measure rejected the anti-Semitic notion of dual loyalty and defined Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state”.
Omar’s office did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on how the congresswoman criticized Israel for racism while still recognizing it as a “democratic” ally of the US.
Congressman Brad Schneider, a staunch supporter of the Israel Democrat, welcomed Omar’s support on the matter.
“I have no doubt that we will continue to disagree, sometimes in opposition. I will continue to call out antisemitism wherever it comes, whether on my side of the road or the other,” Schneider said in a statement.
