Multiple House Republicans have called for Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar to be stripped of her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, after accusing a pro-Israel lobbying group of buying support for Israel.
Republican Reps. Steve Scalise of Lousiana, Lee Zeldin of New York and Liz Cheney of Wyoming have called for her to be taken off the committee.
Omar tweeted Sunday night that the pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) buys pro-Israel support from American politicians.
The insinuation received widespread criticism, accusations of anti-Semitism and it led to some Republicans calling for her to be punished. (RELATED: Omar Retweets Statement Equating Her Israel Comments With Calling Jews ‘Hooked-Nosed’)
Scalise tweeted, “Good that some Dems have condemned the disgraceful anti-Semitic remarks of Rep. Omar—but their words are empty unless Dem leaders remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. No one with her anti-Semitic views should be allowed to represent US foreign policy on that committee.”
Glad the Speaker broke her silence, but that apology won’t do. Rep. Omar should be stripped of her committee assignments, including @HouseForeign, & HRes72 should be voted on. Rep. S King apologized as well. Was still stripped of assignments & HRes41 passed nearly unanimously. https://t.co/MFCEpuTRf3
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) February 11, 2019
Zeldin, who is Jewish, said that, “Omar should be stripped of her committee assignments, including @HouseForeign.”
He has long been critical of Omar’s position on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
House Democrat leaders should condemn this anti-Semitism and immediately remove @IlhanMN from the House Foreign Affairs Committee pic.twitter.com/IYAoXEGtld
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) February 11, 2019
Cheney called for the same saying, “House Democrat leaders should condemn this anti-Semitism and immediately remove @IlhanMN from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.”
Democratic New York Rep. Eliot Engel, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released a statement condemning Omar but it did not address her standing on the committee. (RELATED: Rep. Omar Ignores Reporter’s Question About Why She Supports The BDS Movement)
“As I have said, as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I will ensure support for Israel remains strong and bipartisan and I will shine a light on the evil of anti-Semitism and the danger it poses,” Engel’s statement says in part. “I will make the case to Members on both side of the aisle that our alliance and friendship with Israel are important to our countries’ shared interests, security, and values.”
Omar has since apologized for the tweet.