THE URGENT NEED TO REMOVE REP. OMAR FROM THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

THE URGENT NEED TO REMOVE REP. OMAR FROM THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

The Endowment for Middle East Truth applauds House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership for their condemnation of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s ugly views about Jews.  We especially wish to single out the comments by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler.  Rep. Nadler’s denunciation of Omar is important as he sits on a committee designed to protect the civil rights of Americans.  We believe he recognized Omar’s anti-Semitic comments constitute a deplorable civil rights violation against all people of the Jewish faith.

However, words alone will not suffice.  Speaker Pelosi and House Foreign Affairs chairman Rep. Eliot L. Engel must immediately remove Rep. Omar from the foreign affairs committee.  This committee is one of the most prestigious and coveted seats in all of the House.

There are 235 House Democrats.  Only about one in ten House Members — 25 — are awarded the privilege to sit on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Rep. Omar cannot be one of those 25 sitting Members.

Committee Members on this key committee must display fairness and objectivity in foreign affairs. They also should be committed to the long-standing U.S. foreign policy of staunchly supporting the state of Israel.

Israel came into being when Harry Truman, a great Democratic President, was one of the first world leaders to officially recognize the state of Israel.  Successive American Presidents have pledged their commitment to a free, pluralistic, democratic and safe homeland for the Jewish people.

Through its free elections, the rule of law through its court system and with a free press, Israel protects and all its citizens, including Christians, Arabs, Druze, Bedouin and other minorities. Israel is the only democratic state in all of the Middle East and it needs continued U.S. support.

Rep. Omar has shown that she lacks a sense of fairness and objectivity when it comes to Israel.  She has called Israel “evil,” and repeated many anti-Semitic tropes, including her description in recent days that Jews are ugly, “hook nosed” people, and that Members of Congress support Israel only for money. She does not deserve to have a coveted seat on the foreign affairs committee.

We hope Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Engel will immediately remove Rep. Omar from the committee.