Ilhan Omar Feuds With Nancy Pelosi Over Anti-Israel BDS Movement

Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar fired back at Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday after Pelosi condemned the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement.

Pelosi touted the House’s latest anti-hate resolution — which was prompted by a series of comments Omar made that were criticized as anti-Semitic — and took a clear position against the BDS movement in her speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) annual conference.

Pelosi noted that the House’s anti-hate resolution included condemnation for “the pernicious myth of dual loyalty and foreign allegiance, especially in the context of support for the United States-Israel alliance.”

“We must also be vigilant against bigoted or dangerous ideologies masquerading as policy, and that includes BDS,” she added.

“Did you know this? It does not recognize — and many of its supporters don’t know or explicitly deny — it does not recognize the right of Jewish people to national self-determination,” Pelosi continued.

Omar condemned Pelosi’s comments.

“A condemnation for people who want to exercise their First Amendment rights is beneath any leader,” she told Newsweek. “I hope that we find a better use of language when we are trying to speak as members of Congress that are sworn to protect the Constitution.”

Omar, a supporter of the BDS movement, previously stirred controversy by appearing to question the loyalties of Israel supporters.

She also specifically accused AIPAC of buying support for Israel among American lawmakers.