Rep. Ilhan Omar defends support for anti-Israel BDS movement, opposition to Iran sanctions: They’re ‘very different’
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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was pressed on Thursday over her support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement and her opposition to the ongoing U.S. sanctions on Iran, claiming the two are «very different.»
On Wednesday, President Trump announced in his address following Iran’s attack on U.S. military bases in Iraq that his administration would be launching additional sanctions against the regime while extending an olive branch to revive peace talks between the two nations.
Omar slammed the decision.
«This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare,» the congresswoman reacted on Twitter. «They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran.»
She added. «You cannot claim to want de-escalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response!»
Critics, however, slammed the Democratic «Squad» member, pointing to her support of the progressive economic movement meant to hurt Israel over its settlements over disputed territory with the Palestinians.
Omar was approached by Townhall senior writer Julios Rosas outside Capitol Hill and was asked to respond to those calling her out.
«The BDS movement is a movement that is driven by the people,» Omar told Rosas. «The sanctions on Iran are sanctions that are being placed to create maximum pressure by a government. That is very different.»
Her response will likely not calm her critics, who were vocal about what they consider to be hypocritical views on social media.
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“Ilhan Omar views sanctions on terror regimes to be ‘economic warfare’ but supports them when aimed at the world’s only Jewish state. Must just be a coincidence,” one Twitter user quipped in response to Omar’s tweet.
“Ilhan Omar has now decried sanctions on the Castros in Cuba, Maduro in Venezuela, and the Ayatollah in Iran,” Michael Abrams, a GOP communications director, wrote. “At the same time, she’s the leading voice in Congress on sanctioning the Jewish people in the world’s only Jewish state. Wonder why.”
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
