AIPAC accused of Islamophobia over attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar
Washington (QNN)- The American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the most powerful pro-Israel lobby in the country, known as AIPAC, has been facing accusations of Islamophobia and incitement over attacks against congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
On Wednesday, Jeremy Slevin slammed the group for a sponsored post claiming that Omar sees “no difference between America and the Taliban”, “Israel and Hamas” and “democracies and terrorists”.
Slevin, who is Omar’s communications director, said the language used by AIPAC is “identical” to hate messages and “death threats” the congresswoman receives.
“Make no mistake: AIPAC is putting Rep. Omar’s life at risk with repeated Islamophobic attack ads,” he wrote on Twitter.
His post included screenshots of the ad alongside an Omar tweet accompanied by audio of a purported death threat she received in June.
“It shouldn’t have to be stated,” Slevin added in a subsequent tweet, “but baselessly linking Muslim-Americans to terrorism is the textbook example of Islamophobia and is routinely used to silence advocacy for Palestinian human rights.”
The language AIPAC uses in paid ads to smear and vilify @IlhanMN is virtually identical to the language used in death threats she gets.
Make no mistake: AIPAC is putting Rep. Omar's life at risk with repeated Islamophobic attack ads. pic.twitter.com/Ehkn8qmW7p
— Jeremy Slevin (@jeremyslevin) August 11, 2021
AIPAC, however, is known for its long history of running attack ads against vocal pro-Palestine voices and critics of ‘Israel’ in Congress who are mostly progressive Democrats.
The Facebook ad from AIPAC features a black-and-white image of Omar accompanied by text reading: “For Ilhan Omar, there is no difference between America and the Taliban. Between Israel and Hamas. Between democracies and terrorists.”
The ad is captioned: “Stand WITH America. Stand AGAINST Terrorists.”
In response to Slevin accusations, AIPAC tweeted, “Your baseless attack on us can’t deflect from [Omar’s] attack on America and Israel.”
It continued, “It is outrageous for Rep. Omar to put the U.S. and Israel on the same level as the Taliban and Hamas. There is no moral equivalence between democratic allies and the terrorists who target them.”
Your baseless attack on us can't deflect from @Ilhan's attack on America and Israel.
It is outrageous for Rep. Omar to put the U.S. and Israel on the same level as the Taliban and Hamas.
There is no moral equivalence between democratic allies and the terrorists who target them. https://t.co/kqZqwZKdt8 pic.twitter.com/3idLSRtCpa
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) August 11, 2021
AIPAC was referring to controversy remarks made by Omar in June when she questioned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the US administration’s opposition investigations into war crimes in Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The representative from Minnesota asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a hearing by the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “You opposed the court’s investigation in both Palestine and in Afghanistan.”
“In both of these cases, if domestic courts can’t or won’t pursue justice, and we oppose the ICC, where do we think victims are supposed to go for justice, and what justice mechanisms do you support for them?”
She followed with a tweet: “We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban. I asked @SecBlinkenwhere people are supposed to go for justice.”
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.
We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.
I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021
Her comments were met that time with waves of condemnations from lawmakers from both sides, criticising her for putting the US, Israel, in the same sentence as Hamas and the Taliban.
