Ilhan Omar defends herself against accusations of anti-semitism by saying GOP is Islamophobic

Progressive "Squad" member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) claimed during a Sunday interview on CNN that she "wasn't aware" of "tropes about Jews and money" or that she was “trafficking in anti-Semitism” by making anti-Semitic remarks.

Omar made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” in response to the possibility of being removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over her previous and numerous antisemitic statements. A full House vote would be needed for Omar’s removal from the committee.

“I might have used words at the time that I didn’t understand were trafficking in antisemitism,” Omar said. “When that was brought to my attention, I apologized. I owned up to it. That’s the kind of person that I am.”

The far-left progressive claimed in 2012 that "Israel has hypnotized the world," and added, "may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." 

In 2019, she responded to a tweet posted by Glenn Greenwald that said Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was targeting Omar and fellow "Squad" member Rashida Tlaib, (D-MI) for their antisemitic criticisms of Israel writing, "it's all about the Benjamins, baby," and was slammed by both Democrats and Republicans using the antisemitic trope about Jews and money.

CNN host Dana Bash said, “I’m told that Republicans presented a list in their meeting, in a private meeting, this past week. Included in that list is that you said that Israel hypnotized the world. You said Israel is an apartheid regime, that politicians with pro-Israel stance – stances were all about the Benjamins, which you very notably apologized for, that you support the BDS movement, which a lot of people think is rooted in antisemitism, compared the US and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban.”

Omar replied: “I certainly did not or was not aware that the word 'hypnotize' was a trope. I wasn’t aware of the fact that there are tropes about Jews and money. That has been a very enlightening part of this journey.”

She added, “To insinuate that I knowingly said these things, when people have read into my comments to make it sound as if I have something against the Jewish community, is so wrong.”

Omar claimed that those Republicans who are holding her accountable for her previous antisemitic comments were "ppolitically motivated" and accused the GOP of Islamophobia.

"It is politically motivated, and in some cases motivated by the fact that many of these members don't believe a Muslim refugee, an African, should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee."

Bash replied that Omar appeared be "accusing Kevin McCarthy of racism." 

Omar responded, "I mean, I'm not making any accusations. I'm just laying out the facts. You remember Donald Trump coming into my state and saying Muslims, Somali refugees are infiltrating our country. You remember Marjorie Taylor Greene coming to Congress after Rashida [Tlaib] and I got sworn in and saying Muslims are infiltrating Congress. You remember [Lauren] Boebert saying that I was a terrorist. What did McCarthy do? He said, ‘she apologized, and we don't have to worry about her Islamophobia.’"

Omar was joined during the interview by Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) to discuss House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's decision to remove Schiff and Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee.