Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan stood up for Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar during his Sunday speech at the NOI’s annual Saviours’ Day event. Omar recently faced backlash after accusing the pro-Israel lobby of buying congressional support for Israel.
“Ms. Omar from Somalia – she started talking about ‘the Benjamins’ and they are trying to make her apologize. Sweetheart, don’t do that. Pardon me for calling you ‘sweetheart,’ but you do have a sweet heart. You sure are using it to shake the government up, but you have nothing to apologize for,” Farrakhan stated, which was first reported by the The Washington Free Beacon.
He continued, “Israel and AIPAC pays off senators and congressmen to do their bidding, so you’re not lying, so if you’re not lying. Stop laying down. You were sent there by the people to shake up that corrupt House. Shake it up!” (RELATED: House Overwhelmingly Approves Motion To Condemn Anti-Semitism Amid Omar Fallout)
“Oh she’s just ‘young.’ She just got here. Don’t be so hard on her. My beautiful sisters, you were sent there to shake that House up. Your people voted you in, but God is the overseer,” Farrakhan continued, mocking the criticism she’s faced.
Farrakhan has been accused of promulgating anti-Semitism for decades. Last October, he posted a video on Twitter of a speech he gave, in which he compared Jewish people to termites. He has also previously accused Jews of allegedly being involved in 9/11. (RELATED: Seven House Democrats Have Direct Ties To Notorious Anti-Semite [VIDEO])
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 15: U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MN)speaks to media outside the US Capitol on January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. Members of the Freshman Class held a press conference on the government shutdown. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Politicians on both sides of the political aisle condemned Omar’s accusation last week. President Donald Trump called for her to resign or at least be removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee, while House Speaker Pelosi said the congresswoman was using an “anti-Semitic [trope].”
After Democratic leadership condemned her, Omar issued an apology on Twitter. (RELATED: Omar Releases Statement After Backlash Surrounding Tweet Accusing AIPAC Of Buying Israel Support)
This tweet from Omar was not the first time she has been critical of Israel, while also being accused of pushing anti-Semitism. She has previously announced her for the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement, previously implied that Israel is not a democracy and, back in 2012, accused Israel of “[hypnotizing] the world,” although she has since apologized for it.
