An antisemitism scandal surrounding U.S. congresswoman Ilhan Omar erupted this week.
Omar, a first-term Democratic representative from the state of Minnesota retweeted journalist Glenn Greenwald, a frequent critic of Israel, adding the following words: “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.”
Batya Ungar-Sargon, an editor for the Forward then replied to her: “Would love to know who [Ilhan Omar] thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman. That’s the second antisemitic trope you’ve tweeted.”
Omar then replied to Ungar-Sargon’s tweet writing “AIPAC!”
Subsequently, the congresswoman was called out for repeating the antisemitic trope that Jews influence governments through money, with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi calling on Omar to apologise, as did the whole Democratic caucus.
She eventually apologised tweeting, “Antisemitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of antisemitic tropes.”
Congresswoman Omar is no stranger to controversy. In 2012 she tweeted that Israel had “hypnotised” the world, a tweet that she also disavowed, acknowledging that it was an antisemitic trope.
