Critics of Rep. Ilhan Omar say she may be taking the side of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad after she commented on recent attacks on her Twitter page.
“How many more protesters must be shot, rockets must be fired, and little kids must be killed until the endless cycle of violence ends? The status quo of occupation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unsustainable. Only real justice can bring about security and lasting peace,” she said in a tweet Sunday night.
Omar was referring to attacks Sunday where Palestinians fired some 700 rockets into southern Israel. Reports say four were killed and many more injured. Israel struck back with airstrikes against military targets in Gaza, according to Fox News. Reports say more than a dozen Palestinians were killed.
President Donald Trump also took to Twitter to comment on the attacks, saying the U.S. stands with Israel.
“Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens,” Trump said on Twitter Sunday. “To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery. END the violence and work towards peace – it can happen!”
This isn’t the first time critics have pointed to Omar’s comments on the conflict. Earlier this year she said the American Israel Political Action Committee was bribing some Congress members to be pro-Israel. She later apologized.
Then in February, she said that she “should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee.”
“I am told every day that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel,” she said. “I find that to be problematic and I am not alone. I just happen to be willing to speak up on it and open myself to attacks.”
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Alex Wong/Staff