by Theodore Bunker, NewsMax.
Over 1,500 Orthodox rabbis are calling on Congress to rescind the appointment of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., to vice chair of a House foreign affairs subcommittee concerning human rights over accusations of anti-Semitism.
Omar was recently named vice chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, a move that sparked backlash from conservatives and the Coalition for Jewish Values, which represents about 1,500 traditional Orthodox rabbis in matters of public policy.
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“This appointment is both risible and dangerous. Ilhan Omar’s long-standing hatred for Israel and contempt for Jews and for America make this a mockery of human rights advocacy,” said Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, the CJV’s Israel regional vice president. “I have little doubt that she will abuse the framework of ‘human rights’ to further her campaign to demonize the Jewish State, as the UN Human Rights Council does on an annual basis. Rep. Omar should have been stripped of her committee assignments, rather than rewarded with a promotion.”
“The real concern is that House Democrats are treating Anti-Semitism as a political weapon, abetted by the silence and even backing of Democratic Jewish members,” added CJV President Rabbi Pesach Lerner. “The action against Rep. Greene, coupled with the elevation of Rep. Omar, signals that Congress is now willing to tolerate Anti-Semitism when it is politically advantageous to do so.”
Omar said in a statement last week: “Upholding basic human rights around the world is a core priority for me and the Fifth District of Minnesota. As someone who represents a large African diaspora community and is the first African-born immigrant to serve in Congress, I am particularly excited to play a leadership role in overseeing our international aid and foreign policy on the continent.”