Ilhan Omar Criticizes Israel After It Gets Bombarded by Deadly Missiles from Gaza
After an estimated 600 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel over the weekend, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota condemned Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes.
“How many more protesters must be shot, rockets must be fired, and little kids must be killed until the endless cycle of violence ends?” Omar, who has a history of radical statements on social media, tweeted Sunday.
“The status quo of occupation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unsustainable. Only real justice can bring about security and lasting peace.”
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.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 5, 2019
President Donald Trump took a different tone in his tweets on the attacks.
“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 tweeted on Sunday.
“To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery,” Trump added on Monday. “END the violence and work towards peace — it can happen!”
….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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2019
Meanwhile, Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who has her own history of inflammatory statements, attacked a New York Times headline that read “Gaza Militants Fire 250 Rockets, and Israel Responds With Airstrikes.”
Tlaib claimed that the headline presented the matter in an unfair way and avoided placing blame on whom she considered the truly guilty party.
“When will the world stop dehumanizing our Palestinian people who just want to be free? Headlines like this & framing it in this way just feeds into the continued lack of responsibility on Israel who unjustly oppress & target Palestinian children and families. #FreePalestine,” Tlaib tweeted.
When will the world stop dehumanizing our Palestinian people who just want to be free? Headlines like this & framing it in this way just feeds into the continued lack of responsibility on Israel who unjustly oppress & target Palestinian children and families. #FreePalestine https://t.co/p3X3j8WtwM
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 5, 2019
The weekend of violence was triggered by the deaths of Palestinian protesters on Friday. Militants affiliated with Hamas launched over 600 rockets into Israel over the weekend, killing at least four Israelis and seriously wounding others.
At least 23 Palestinians were reported killed in Israel’s air raids that were conducted in retaliation.
Among the dead were a pregnant Palestinian woman and her niece, who was 14 months old. Gaza officials said they were killed by Israel, but Israel claimed a Hamas rocket misfire killed them, according to Fox News.
Many on Twitter rebuked Omar and Tlaib for their comments.
Being attacked by Hamas is Israel’s fault, Omar says: https://t.co/Ag1TBVMLFs
— Christine Ripka (@ChristineRipka) May 6, 2019
Some wrote that the representatives’ comments alone were evidence that they should not keep their positions.
What more do these two anti-American women have to do to be impeached?
They are supporting terrorism and an act of war against our ally Israel.
Democrats will continue to be silent, but I will never be silent until they are no longer in office! #FixIt https://t.co/ZI5YWMIn11
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) May 6, 2019
Others pointed out the possible connection between Omar’s comments and terrorism.
1. Hamas controls Gaza.
2. Hamas is firing rockets at civilians in Israel. 3. @IlhanMN is defending Hamas. Real question is how many times will @IlhanMN rush to the defense of terrorists? https://t.co/mrKQBz1TDa— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) May 5, 2019
Although officials on Monday said a cease-fire appeared to be ending this phase of violence, the Jerusalem Post quoted militants as saying the rocket barrages were the first step in a new conflict.
Musab al-Braim, Islamic Jihad spokesman, said the “resistance was on the threshold of a new phase in repelling the aggression that could lead to an open war,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
He continued, claiming that because of this Israeli “aggression on our people and the targeting of children, houses and the implementation of the policy of assassinations,” that “we are on the threshold of this phase, and we will not have mercy on this enemy.”
Senior Islamic Jihad official Ahmed al-Mudalal said the “current Zionist escalation on the Gaza Strip is a serious attempt to break the will of the Palestinian people” and divert attention from Palestinian protest on the Israel-Gaza border, according to the Jerusalem Post.
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