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House Condemns Anti-Semitism and Bigotry Amid Debate over Ilhan Omar

HeadlineMar 08, 2019

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution Thursday condemning anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim discrimination, white supremacy, homophobia, racism and other forms of hate. The vote was 407 to 23, with nearly two dozen Republicans voting against it. The vote capped a week of intense debate among congressional Democrats that began after some lawmakers accused Democratic Congressmember Ilhan Omar of invoking anti-Semitic tropes while questioning U.S. foreign policy on Israel. At an event last week, Omar said, “I want to talk about political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.” Democrat Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, then accused Omar of making a “vile anti-Semitic slur.” The House leadership initially drafted a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in what was seen as a direct rebuke of Omar. But many progressive Democrats said Omar—who is one of the first two Muslim congresswoman in U.S. history—was unfairly being singled out. Later in the broadcast, we’ll go to Tel Aviv and Washington for a discussion on Congressmember Ilhan Omar.

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