19 july 2019
US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks to talk to the press before departing from the South Lawn of the White House on July 19, 2019, in Washington, DC
US President Donald Trump takes fresh aim at congresswoman Ilhan Omar who has said she would "continue to be a nightmare to” him.
Omar, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, said Thursday that “his nightmare is seeing the beautiful mosaic fabric of our country welcome someone like me as their member of Congress.”
Trump, who was speaking to reporters on Friday, said what Omar has said was “a disgrace to our country."
"I'm unhappy when a congresswoman goes and says, 'I'm going to be the president's nightmare,'" he added. "She's going to be the president's nightmare. She's lucky to be where she is, let me tell you. And the things that she has said are a disgrace to our country."
Trump triggered a firestorm this week after he had tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad,” should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
Omar, one of the four, was born in Somalia and immigrated to the US as a refugee in 1995 when she was a child. She became a US citizen in 2000 at age 17.
The other three members are Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
When asked on Friday that whether the backlash resulting from his comments would impact him politically, he said he did not care.
"I don’t know if it’s good or bad politically. I don’t care," Trump said, "Many people say it's good. I don't know if it's good or bad," he continued.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
US President Donald Trump takes fresh aim at congresswoman Ilhan Omar who has said she would "continue to be a nightmare to” him.
Omar, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, said Thursday that “his nightmare is seeing the beautiful mosaic fabric of our country welcome someone like me as their member of Congress.”
Trump, who was speaking to reporters on Friday, said what Omar has said was “a disgrace to our country."
"I'm unhappy when a congresswoman goes and says, 'I'm going to be the president's nightmare,'" he added. "She's going to be the president's nightmare. She's lucky to be where she is, let me tell you. And the things that she has said are a disgrace to our country."
Trump triggered a firestorm this week after he had tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad,” should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
Omar, one of the four, was born in Somalia and immigrated to the US as a refugee in 1995 when she was a child. She became a US citizen in 2000 at age 17.
The other three members are Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
When asked on Friday that whether the backlash resulting from his comments would impact him politically, he said he did not care.
"I don’t know if it’s good or bad politically. I don’t care," Trump said, "Many people say it's good. I don't know if it's good or bad," he continued.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
US Representative Ilhan Omar (C) speaks on stage alongside US Representative Pramila Jayapal (R) during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 18, 2019
Muslim US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she isn't backing down in her criticism of President Donald Trump, saying she's going to "continue to be a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us."
Omar, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, made the comments as she spoke to a crowd of supporters who greeted her on Thursday at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the state of Minnesota.
The freshman Democratic lawmaker has represented Minnesota's 5th congressional district since January 2019.
“His nightmare is seeing the beautiful mosaic fabric of our country welcome someone like me as their member of Congress,” Omar told her supporters.
“We are going to continue being a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us,” she added. "We are not deterred. We are not frightened."
Omar's supporters held signs saying "End racism now" and "I stand with Ilhan." She told them she was not deterred: "We are not frightened. We are ready."
Omar was born in Somalia and immigrated to the US as a refugee in 1995 when she was a child. She became a US citizen in 2000 at age 17.
Omar has been targeted this week by Trump who has questioned her patriotism.
Trump triggered a firestorm this week after he tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad,” should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
The other three members of the so-called squad are Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
Trump stepped up his vilification of four liberal female lawmakers as “un-American” at a raucous rally on Wednesday, in Greenville, North Carolina. As Trump recounted past comments by Omar, the crowd began chanting: “Send her back!”
Omar told reporters at the US Capitol on Wednesday that Trump is "spewing his fascist ideology."
"As much as he's spewing his fascist ideology on stage, telling US citizens to go back because they don't agree with his detrimental policies for our country, we tell people that here in the United States: dissent is patriotic," Omar said.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
Long before Trump turned up the heat on the four Democratic congresswomen of color, hateful rhetoric and disinformation about lawmakers was lurking online.
Racist, inflammatory and inaccurate content has circulated on far right blogs, news sites and social media accounts about the four female lawmakers since they ran for public office.
With his tweets and harsh comments, Trump has elevated that rhetoric, playing into a conspiratorial feedback loop that reared its head repeatedly during his campaign and presidency.
Muslim US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she isn't backing down in her criticism of President Donald Trump, saying she's going to "continue to be a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us."
Omar, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, made the comments as she spoke to a crowd of supporters who greeted her on Thursday at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the state of Minnesota.
The freshman Democratic lawmaker has represented Minnesota's 5th congressional district since January 2019.
“His nightmare is seeing the beautiful mosaic fabric of our country welcome someone like me as their member of Congress,” Omar told her supporters.
“We are going to continue being a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us,” she added. "We are not deterred. We are not frightened."
Omar's supporters held signs saying "End racism now" and "I stand with Ilhan." She told them she was not deterred: "We are not frightened. We are ready."
Omar was born in Somalia and immigrated to the US as a refugee in 1995 when she was a child. She became a US citizen in 2000 at age 17.
Omar has been targeted this week by Trump who has questioned her patriotism.
Trump triggered a firestorm this week after he tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad,” should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
The other three members of the so-called squad are Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
Trump stepped up his vilification of four liberal female lawmakers as “un-American” at a raucous rally on Wednesday, in Greenville, North Carolina. As Trump recounted past comments by Omar, the crowd began chanting: “Send her back!”
Omar told reporters at the US Capitol on Wednesday that Trump is "spewing his fascist ideology."
"As much as he's spewing his fascist ideology on stage, telling US citizens to go back because they don't agree with his detrimental policies for our country, we tell people that here in the United States: dissent is patriotic," Omar said.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
Long before Trump turned up the heat on the four Democratic congresswomen of color, hateful rhetoric and disinformation about lawmakers was lurking online.
Racist, inflammatory and inaccurate content has circulated on far right blogs, news sites and social media accounts about the four female lawmakers since they ran for public office.
With his tweets and harsh comments, Trump has elevated that rhetoric, playing into a conspiratorial feedback loop that reared its head repeatedly during his campaign and presidency.
18 july 2019
US President Donald Trump pumps his fists as he arrives for a "Make America Great Again" rally at in Greenville, North Carolina, on July 17, 2019
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says President Donald Trump is "spewing his fascist ideology" after Trump’s supporters chanted "Send her back!" at a rally as the Republican president intensified his attacks on four congresswomen of color.
"As much as he's spewing his fascist ideology on stage, telling US citizens to go back because they don't agree with his detrimental policies for our country, we tell people that here in the United States: dissent is patriotic," Omar told reporters at the US Capitol.
"Here in the United States, disagreement is welcome, debate is welcomed and especially in the people's House all of our voices are uplifted and heard," Omar said.
“Nothing this president says should be taken to heart,” she added.
Trump stepped up his vilification of four liberal female lawmakers as “un-American” at a raucous rally on Wednesday, in Greenville, North Carolina.
As Trump recounted past comments by Omar, who was born in Somalia and emigrated to the United States as a child, the crowd began chanting: “Send her back!”
Despite criticism from Democrats that his comments about the four minority congresswomen are racist, Trump went on an extended diatribe about the lawmakers, saying they were welcome to leave the US if they did not like his policies on issues such as immigration and defending Israel.
“So these Congresswomen, their comments are helping to fuel the rise of a dangerous, militant hard left,” the Republican president said to roars from the crowd in North Carolina, a state seen as key to his re-election.
Later on Thursday, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he disagreed with the chants.
"I was not happy with it. I disagree with it. But again I didn't say that, they did," Trump said -- though he waited 12 seconds as the chant broke out.
Trump triggered a firestorm over the weekend after he tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad” - Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts - should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says President Donald Trump is "spewing his fascist ideology" after Trump’s supporters chanted "Send her back!" at a rally as the Republican president intensified his attacks on four congresswomen of color.
"As much as he's spewing his fascist ideology on stage, telling US citizens to go back because they don't agree with his detrimental policies for our country, we tell people that here in the United States: dissent is patriotic," Omar told reporters at the US Capitol.
"Here in the United States, disagreement is welcome, debate is welcomed and especially in the people's House all of our voices are uplifted and heard," Omar said.
“Nothing this president says should be taken to heart,” she added.
Trump stepped up his vilification of four liberal female lawmakers as “un-American” at a raucous rally on Wednesday, in Greenville, North Carolina.
As Trump recounted past comments by Omar, who was born in Somalia and emigrated to the United States as a child, the crowd began chanting: “Send her back!”
Despite criticism from Democrats that his comments about the four minority congresswomen are racist, Trump went on an extended diatribe about the lawmakers, saying they were welcome to leave the US if they did not like his policies on issues such as immigration and defending Israel.
“So these Congresswomen, their comments are helping to fuel the rise of a dangerous, militant hard left,” the Republican president said to roars from the crowd in North Carolina, a state seen as key to his re-election.
Later on Thursday, Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he disagreed with the chants.
"I was not happy with it. I disagree with it. But again I didn't say that, they did," Trump said -- though he waited 12 seconds as the chant broke out.
Trump triggered a firestorm over the weekend after he tweeted that the four progressive members of the US House of Representatives, known as “the squad” - Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts - should “go back” where they came from, even though all are US citizens and three are US-born.
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
A fired-up Donald Trump took aim once more at Democratic lawmakers who "hate" America as he hit the campaign trail Wednesday, hours after an opposition bid to impeach the US president over "racist" attacks was shot down in Congress.
Egging on a sea of supporters in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump reeled off the names of the ethnic minority congresswomen whom he has urged to "go back" to their countries of origin in a series of incendiary tweets.
"These left-wing ideologues see our nation as a force of evil," charged Trump -- whose tweets were condemned as "racist" a day earlier by the House of Representatives, although a subsequent attempt to launch impeachment proceedings failed in the chamber.
"Send her back!" the crowd roared when Trump cited Ilhan Omar -- one of just two Muslim women in Congress, whose criticism of Israel has been deemed anti-Semitic by many lawmakers.
"The way they speak so badly of our country," Trump told his supporters, decked out in the colors of the US flag and "Make America Great Again" caps.
"They want to demolish our constitution. Eliminate the values that built this magnificent country."
Pouring scorn on all four congresswomen -- known as "The Squad" -- Trump aimed perhaps his harshest taunts at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the outspoken New York lawmaker who has likened migrant detention centers at the Mexican border to concentration camps.
"I don't have time to go with three different names. We will call her Cortez," he mocked, to the crowd's delight.
'Enjoying' the battle
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
He himself has given credence to the notion, telling reporters he was "enjoying" his battle with the congresswomen "because I have to get the message out to the American people."
Democratic leaders have rallied around their colleagues -- Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley. All are American citizens and all except Omar, who is of Somali origin, were born in the United States.
But even as anger simmered in Democratic ranks, many in the party joined Republicans in the House of Representatives in voting to block an attempt to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump -- illustrating divisions in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
Trump meanwhile put a victorious spin on the evening's news as he arrived in Greenville, pumped up for his first rally since announcing his 2020 re-election bid.
"We have just received an overwhelming vote against impeachment," he told reporters, calling it a "most ridiculous project."
"And that's the end of it. Let the Democrats now go back to work," Trump said.
'Those words are racism'
Trump's four-day attack on the congresswomen -- including taunts such as "if you hate our Country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!" -- and the Democratic response have laid bare deep rifts in Washington.
While the rhetoric has enraged liberals, just four Republicans voted with the 235 Democrats Tuesday night to condemn Trump for "racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of color."
Pelosi stood by the resolution condemning Trump's language. "By its definition, those words are racism," she said.
But she told reporters she would rather see ongoing investigations of Trump play out before launching any divisive impeachment effort.
Pushing back at Democrats, the president -- who years ago pushed the "birther" conspiracy that Barack Obama was not born in the United States -- has insisted he does not "have a Racist bone in my body!"
According to a Wednesday poll from USAToday/Ipsos, two-thirds of respondents disagree, judging that telling minority Americans to "go back to where they came from" is racist.
But initial indications suggest the episode has not hurt Trump's support among Republicans: his approval rating has risen five points to 72 percent, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
And the issue of immigration -- which was core to Trump's 2016 campaign, and will be again in 2020 -- continues to strike a powerful chord.
A Pew study released Wednesday showed that 57 of Republicans feel America risks "risk losing our identity as a nation" if it is too open to immigrants.
Dwelling at length on his upset victory over Hillary Clinton -- "one of the most extraordinary and exciting evenings in history of television" -- Trump urged his supporters in Greenville, "We have to do it again."
And the crowd chanted back: "Four More Years!"
Egging on a sea of supporters in Greenville, North Carolina, Trump reeled off the names of the ethnic minority congresswomen whom he has urged to "go back" to their countries of origin in a series of incendiary tweets.
"These left-wing ideologues see our nation as a force of evil," charged Trump -- whose tweets were condemned as "racist" a day earlier by the House of Representatives, although a subsequent attempt to launch impeachment proceedings failed in the chamber.
"Send her back!" the crowd roared when Trump cited Ilhan Omar -- one of just two Muslim women in Congress, whose criticism of Israel has been deemed anti-Semitic by many lawmakers.
"The way they speak so badly of our country," Trump told his supporters, decked out in the colors of the US flag and "Make America Great Again" caps.
"They want to demolish our constitution. Eliminate the values that built this magnificent country."
Pouring scorn on all four congresswomen -- known as "The Squad" -- Trump aimed perhaps his harshest taunts at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the outspoken New York lawmaker who has likened migrant detention centers at the Mexican border to concentration camps.
"I don't have time to go with three different names. We will call her Cortez," he mocked, to the crowd's delight.
'Enjoying' the battle
Trump's attacks have widely been seen as a bid to rally his right-wing base as the 2020 White House race heats up -- at the risk of inflaming racial tensions and deepening partisan divisions in America.
He himself has given credence to the notion, telling reporters he was "enjoying" his battle with the congresswomen "because I have to get the message out to the American people."
Democratic leaders have rallied around their colleagues -- Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley. All are American citizens and all except Omar, who is of Somali origin, were born in the United States.
But even as anger simmered in Democratic ranks, many in the party joined Republicans in the House of Representatives in voting to block an attempt to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump -- illustrating divisions in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
Trump meanwhile put a victorious spin on the evening's news as he arrived in Greenville, pumped up for his first rally since announcing his 2020 re-election bid.
"We have just received an overwhelming vote against impeachment," he told reporters, calling it a "most ridiculous project."
"And that's the end of it. Let the Democrats now go back to work," Trump said.
'Those words are racism'
Trump's four-day attack on the congresswomen -- including taunts such as "if you hate our Country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!" -- and the Democratic response have laid bare deep rifts in Washington.
While the rhetoric has enraged liberals, just four Republicans voted with the 235 Democrats Tuesday night to condemn Trump for "racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of color."
Pelosi stood by the resolution condemning Trump's language. "By its definition, those words are racism," she said.
But she told reporters she would rather see ongoing investigations of Trump play out before launching any divisive impeachment effort.
Pushing back at Democrats, the president -- who years ago pushed the "birther" conspiracy that Barack Obama was not born in the United States -- has insisted he does not "have a Racist bone in my body!"
According to a Wednesday poll from USAToday/Ipsos, two-thirds of respondents disagree, judging that telling minority Americans to "go back to where they came from" is racist.
But initial indications suggest the episode has not hurt Trump's support among Republicans: his approval rating has risen five points to 72 percent, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
And the issue of immigration -- which was core to Trump's 2016 campaign, and will be again in 2020 -- continues to strike a powerful chord.
A Pew study released Wednesday showed that 57 of Republicans feel America risks "risk losing our identity as a nation" if it is too open to immigrants.
Dwelling at length on his upset victory over Hillary Clinton -- "one of the most extraordinary and exciting evenings in history of television" -- Trump urged his supporters in Greenville, "We have to do it again."
And the crowd chanted back: "Four More Years!"
17 july 2019
Congresswomen Ilhan Omar (C) and Rashida Tlaib (R) with longtime BDS supporter and civil rights leader Angela Davis on 30 April
Resolution comes amid crackdown on Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. By
MEE staff
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has introduced a bill that seeks to assert Americans' right to participate in boycotts both at home and abroad, a move that would challenge anti-boycott legislation at the federal and state levels across the United States.
Put forward late on Tuesday, HR 496 affirms the First Amendment right of US citizens to participate in boycotts "in pursuit of civil and human rights".
The measure was co-sponsored by Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American congresswoman from Michigan, and Democratic Congressman John Lewis, a veteran civil rights leader and longtime member of the US House of Representatives.
"We are introducing a resolution … to really speak about the American values that support and believe in our ability to exercise our first amendment rights in regard to boycotting," Omar told news website Al-Monitor about the proposed legislation.
It comes days after Donald Trump attacked Omar, Tlaib and two other progressive Democrats - congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley - for their criticism of Israel, among other things.
The US president's racist comments were widely decried by lawmakers from both major major US political parties, who passed a House resolution on Tuesday condemning them as an attack on people of colour.
While Omar's bill makes no mention of Israel or Palestine, it would protect US citizens' right to join the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
BDS aims to pressure Israel over its human rights abuses against Palestinians by encouraging the international community to boycott Israeli goods and institutions.
In her interview with Al-Monitor, Omar said the legislation also presents "an opportunity for us to explain why it is we support a nonviolent movement, which is the BDS movement".
Currently, several proposed federal bills - backed by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers - are circulating in the House and Senate that seek to oppose "efforts to delegitimise the State of Israel" and the BDS movement in particular.
BDS has also has come under fire at the state level, as 28 US states have passed legislation that either restricts or bans individuals or companies seeking to do business with the state government from boycotting Israel.
Only eight US states have not introduced some kind of anti-BDS legislation or resolutions.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other rights groups have condemned anti-BDS legislation as unconstitutional, and they have successfully challenged a few pieces of legislation in court.
'Breath of fresh air'
On Wednesday, Omar's bill was sent to the House judiciary committee for consideration by other lawmakers.
The Arab American Institute (AAI) immediately showed its support for the resolution, sharing news of its introduction with the hashtag #Right2Boycott. tweet
"The current efforts to silence advocacy for Palestinian rights put politics above the Constitution," said the group's executive director, Maya Berry, in a statement on Wednesday.
"The need to affirm our values as Americans - that vigorous human rights advocacy is central to who we are - could not be more great," Berry said.
"This statement by the cosponsors is a breath of fresh air, and affirms that all Americans have the right to engage in the political process as equal participants."
Both Omar and Tlaib, the first two Muslim women to ever be elected to Congress, are also the first two congresspeople to ever openly support the BDS movement.
Their position highlights an ongoing shift among Democrats, as progressive representatives are more openly criticising Israeli policies towards Palestinians, a break from the party's longstanding, unwavering support for Israel.
Several top Democrats have been critical of anti-BDS laws, in particular, saying they violate the right to freedom of speech guaranteed under the US Constitution.
In February, Democratic presidential contenders voted against a Senate bill that would encourage state and local governments to sanction contractors who boycott Israel.
"Unquestioning support for Israel has been accepted for a very long time, but now there are limits to how far they are willing to go," Omar Baddar, deputy director at the Arab American Institute, told MEE at the time.
Democrats have also introduced legislation that would bar US financial support to Israel that could be used "for Israel's systematic military detention, interrogation, abuse, torture, and prosecution of Palestinian children".
The bill, called the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, was introduced in April and sent to the House Committe on Foreign Affairs.
It currently has 20 co-sponsors, including Omar and Tlaib.
Resolution comes amid crackdown on Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. By
MEE staff
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has introduced a bill that seeks to assert Americans' right to participate in boycotts both at home and abroad, a move that would challenge anti-boycott legislation at the federal and state levels across the United States.
Put forward late on Tuesday, HR 496 affirms the First Amendment right of US citizens to participate in boycotts "in pursuit of civil and human rights".
The measure was co-sponsored by Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American congresswoman from Michigan, and Democratic Congressman John Lewis, a veteran civil rights leader and longtime member of the US House of Representatives.
"We are introducing a resolution … to really speak about the American values that support and believe in our ability to exercise our first amendment rights in regard to boycotting," Omar told news website Al-Monitor about the proposed legislation.
It comes days after Donald Trump attacked Omar, Tlaib and two other progressive Democrats - congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley - for their criticism of Israel, among other things.
The US president's racist comments were widely decried by lawmakers from both major major US political parties, who passed a House resolution on Tuesday condemning them as an attack on people of colour.
While Omar's bill makes no mention of Israel or Palestine, it would protect US citizens' right to join the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
BDS aims to pressure Israel over its human rights abuses against Palestinians by encouraging the international community to boycott Israeli goods and institutions.
In her interview with Al-Monitor, Omar said the legislation also presents "an opportunity for us to explain why it is we support a nonviolent movement, which is the BDS movement".
Currently, several proposed federal bills - backed by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers - are circulating in the House and Senate that seek to oppose "efforts to delegitimise the State of Israel" and the BDS movement in particular.
BDS has also has come under fire at the state level, as 28 US states have passed legislation that either restricts or bans individuals or companies seeking to do business with the state government from boycotting Israel.
Only eight US states have not introduced some kind of anti-BDS legislation or resolutions.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other rights groups have condemned anti-BDS legislation as unconstitutional, and they have successfully challenged a few pieces of legislation in court.
'Breath of fresh air'
On Wednesday, Omar's bill was sent to the House judiciary committee for consideration by other lawmakers.
The Arab American Institute (AAI) immediately showed its support for the resolution, sharing news of its introduction with the hashtag #Right2Boycott. tweet
"The current efforts to silence advocacy for Palestinian rights put politics above the Constitution," said the group's executive director, Maya Berry, in a statement on Wednesday.
"The need to affirm our values as Americans - that vigorous human rights advocacy is central to who we are - could not be more great," Berry said.
"This statement by the cosponsors is a breath of fresh air, and affirms that all Americans have the right to engage in the political process as equal participants."
Both Omar and Tlaib, the first two Muslim women to ever be elected to Congress, are also the first two congresspeople to ever openly support the BDS movement.
Their position highlights an ongoing shift among Democrats, as progressive representatives are more openly criticising Israeli policies towards Palestinians, a break from the party's longstanding, unwavering support for Israel.
Several top Democrats have been critical of anti-BDS laws, in particular, saying they violate the right to freedom of speech guaranteed under the US Constitution.
In February, Democratic presidential contenders voted against a Senate bill that would encourage state and local governments to sanction contractors who boycott Israel.
"Unquestioning support for Israel has been accepted for a very long time, but now there are limits to how far they are willing to go," Omar Baddar, deputy director at the Arab American Institute, told MEE at the time.
Democrats have also introduced legislation that would bar US financial support to Israel that could be used "for Israel's systematic military detention, interrogation, abuse, torture, and prosecution of Palestinian children".
The bill, called the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, was introduced in April and sent to the House Committe on Foreign Affairs.
It currently has 20 co-sponsors, including Omar and Tlaib.
14 july 2019
Interfaith peace activists heckled speakers, at the summit of the world’s largest Christian Zionist organization, in a protest over the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Demonstrators were forcibly ejected from the Washington meeting by security staff after disrupting the speeches of key convention delegates, PNN reports.
More than 100 Christian, Jewish and Muslim protesters chanted slogans and waved banners inside and outside the annual conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), which had CUFI founder John Hagee, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and US Vice President Mike Pence as plenary speakers.
The joint action, by faith leaders and community members, was in protest over CUFI’s support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Several protesters disrupted the speeches of Hagee and Pence with Tarek Abuata, director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), standing up and shouting, “Zionism is racism.” He was handcuffed by security officials and carried out of the convention center while calling, “People of God, wake up! Protect the Palestinian people.”
Christian and Jewish faith leaders also interrupted the US vice president’s address, chanting, “Jews and Christians say no to Zionism.” They too were dragged from the hall by conference guards.
One of them, Jonathan Brenneman, an American Palestinian activist, told Arab News that his actions were carried out in order to expose the occupation and express his views that Christian Zionists were not adhering to the true Christian faith.
FOSNA national organizer, Rochelle Watson, who also disrupted Pence, said: “We have reached a point where remaining faithful requires us to take bold action by speaking truth to power.”
During Hagee’s speech, protesters shouted, “Israel imprisons children, our God liberates” and “Israel demolishes homes, our God shelters.”
Outside the summit, demonstrators blocked one entrance to the conference center, and later an intersection. They prayed, sang, and read out the names of Palestinian children they claimed had been killed or injured as a result of Israeli policies, while holding up posters that read, “Reclaim Our Theology” and “Thou Shall Not Kill.”
The coalition of faith groups included the FOSNA, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR).
Jonathan Brenneman, a Palestinian-American Christian with the Mennonite Church, said: “I’m here in sacred witness for Mohammed, a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, whose leg was amputated after he was shot by Israeli soldiers.”
Another protester with Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, in New York, said: “I’m here because I have been struggling against the messaging that ‘all Jews support Israel.’ We just need to resist in a holistic way against the forces of empire that are using religion to do this work.”
Abuata said of the action: “We are here to bear sacred witness and hold CUFI accountable to a theology of love.”
Demonstrators were forcibly ejected from the Washington meeting by security staff after disrupting the speeches of key convention delegates, PNN reports.
More than 100 Christian, Jewish and Muslim protesters chanted slogans and waved banners inside and outside the annual conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), which had CUFI founder John Hagee, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and US Vice President Mike Pence as plenary speakers.
The joint action, by faith leaders and community members, was in protest over CUFI’s support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Several protesters disrupted the speeches of Hagee and Pence with Tarek Abuata, director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), standing up and shouting, “Zionism is racism.” He was handcuffed by security officials and carried out of the convention center while calling, “People of God, wake up! Protect the Palestinian people.”
Christian and Jewish faith leaders also interrupted the US vice president’s address, chanting, “Jews and Christians say no to Zionism.” They too were dragged from the hall by conference guards.
One of them, Jonathan Brenneman, an American Palestinian activist, told Arab News that his actions were carried out in order to expose the occupation and express his views that Christian Zionists were not adhering to the true Christian faith.
FOSNA national organizer, Rochelle Watson, who also disrupted Pence, said: “We have reached a point where remaining faithful requires us to take bold action by speaking truth to power.”
During Hagee’s speech, protesters shouted, “Israel imprisons children, our God liberates” and “Israel demolishes homes, our God shelters.”
Outside the summit, demonstrators blocked one entrance to the conference center, and later an intersection. They prayed, sang, and read out the names of Palestinian children they claimed had been killed or injured as a result of Israeli policies, while holding up posters that read, “Reclaim Our Theology” and “Thou Shall Not Kill.”
The coalition of faith groups included the FOSNA, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR).
Jonathan Brenneman, a Palestinian-American Christian with the Mennonite Church, said: “I’m here in sacred witness for Mohammed, a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, whose leg was amputated after he was shot by Israeli soldiers.”
Another protester with Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, in New York, said: “I’m here because I have been struggling against the messaging that ‘all Jews support Israel.’ We just need to resist in a holistic way against the forces of empire that are using religion to do this work.”
Abuata said of the action: “We are here to bear sacred witness and hold CUFI accountable to a theology of love.”
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