A claim by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) that some Jewish students on campus are “pro-genocide” has led one of her peers in the U.S. House of Representatives to threaten to introduce a censure measure in response.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said he intends to move on the matter. Omar had said, “We should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they’re pro-genocide or anti-genocide.”
Bacon wrote on X that “calling these students ‘pro-genocide’ is despicable.”
He called the progressive “Squad” member’s comment “by definition, antisemitism.” He added that “folks can protest Israel, but don’t blame Jewish American students for Israel.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said that he found Omar’s speech “detestable” and that “she’s on exactly the wrong side of the issue. I haven’t spoken with Congressman Bacon about the censure resolution. We’ll look at it.”
To back up her claims of “pro-genocide” students, Omar cited an article by The Intercept reporting that a student at a protest had yelled, “Kill all Arabs.”
This is the pro-genocide I was talking about, can you condemn this like I have condemned antisemitism and bigotry of all kind?
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 28, 2024
“Kill All Arabs”
“They are all Hamas. All grotesquely evil”
“Level Gaza”https://t.co/sD4G6qoHRe https://t.co/kUuD22WPui
On Tuesday, Omar and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) descended into an argument on X about the “pro-genocide” claim.
“You falsely think some Jewish students are ‘pro-genocide.’ I think most Jews believe you’re antisemitic,” Blackburn wrote.
