Ilhan Omar votes for bill to continue US aid to ‘Israel’
Washington (QNN)- US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, one of the most vocal pro-Palestine voices in American politics, voted last week in favour of a bill calling for a $3.3 billion US aid package to the occupation state of ‘Israel’.
The 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs funding bill, which was adopted on July 28, does not include any conditions to protect Palestinian human rights.
However, it was approved by all but three democratic representatives who recently co-sponsored the Palestinian human rights bill with Representative Omar: representative Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The state department’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year gives the $3.3 billion in US security assistance to the occupation state as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under President Obama.
The most recent MOU, signed in 2016, stipulated that the U.S. president would ask Congress for $33 billion for foreign military financing and $5 billion for missile defense aid to Israel over the following ten years. Congress must still pass appropriations bills each year approving the money, but usually does so with no changes to what the President requests.
The bill, approved in July, explicitly states that “not less than $785,300,000 [of that $3,300,000,000] shall be available for the procurement in Israel of defense articles and defense services, including research and development.”
The bill contains other funds for Israel, including for educational programs, weapons leases, and refugee resettlement.
During the latest Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip last May, Omar released a statement against the Biden administration’s proposed arms sale to the Israeli occupation government.
“The United States should not stand idly by while crimes against humanity are being committed with our backing,” Omar said.
“We should be standing unequivocally and consistently on the side of human rights.”
Omar continued by stating that it would be “appalling for the Biden Administration to go through with the $735 million in precision guided weapons to Netanyahu without any string attached in the wake of scaling violence and attacks on civilians.”
The latest Israeli 11-day aggression on the Gaza Strip started on May 10 and ended with a ceasefire brokered by mediator Egypt on May 21, killing at least 279 Palestinians, including 69 children and 40 women and injuring 1,910 others.
19 families in the Gaza Strip have been wiped off the population civil registry during Israel’s 11-day aggression, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including 41 children and 25 women.
More than 90,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes, and much of Gaza’s infrastructure and many residential buildings were completely destroyed or levelled.
Also, during Israel’s aggression, Omar expressed her support to the people of Palestine, saying what ‘Israel’ is doing in Gaza of killing civilians is an “act of terrorism.”
This unsurprising response is devoid of empathy and concern for human suffering.
He can’t even condemn the killing of children. https://t.co/eQjysy2VCP
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 10, 2021
“Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians. It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid,” Omar also tweeted.
Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism.
Palestinians deserve protection.
Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians.
It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid. https://t.co/vWWQfMqBkT
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 10, 2021
Many will tell you Israel has a right to defend itself, to safety and security, but are silent on whether Palestinians have those rights too.
Until we can defend the rights of Palestinians just as we do Israelis, we have no leg to stand on when it comes to justice or peace.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 10, 2021
Omar, however, has been slammed for voting in favour of the bill that called for unconditional US aid to the occupation state as she has been known for being one of the vocal pro-Palestine voices along with Rashida Tlaib.
While Ilhan Omar called on the U.S. last week to cut its aid to Tunisia after Kais Saied's decision to dismiss the government, a decision that is a blow to the Muslim Brotherhood, this week she voted in favor of a bill to continue $3.3 billion unconditional U.S. aid to Israel. pic.twitter.com/SVILFHSV4M
— Kevork Almassian🇸🇾🇦🇲 (@KevorkAlmassian) August 4, 2021
Ilhan Omar voted in congress to help Israel continue the carpet bombing of Palestine, so if you ever think “progressives” are there to help, you gotta remember they’re politicians before anything else and will never actually aid progress. Change doesn’t ever get voted in.
— Donut (@certifiedp0ser) August 1, 2021
Rep. Ilhan Omar votes 'Yes' on spending Bill that grants unconditional aid to Israel in House of Representatives in the US Congress. While Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Cori Bush all vote 'No' on the move. Instead of holding it up she voted in favour of the Bill.
— Yasir Ali Mirza (@YasirAliMirza) August 2, 2021
But @IlhanMN just voted to continue giving $3.3 Billion 'Unconditional' Aid to Apartheid State of #Israel who will use money to continue evicting #Palestinians from their homes…? Does she think that evicting Palestinians from their homes to facilitate illegal settlers is OK…? https://t.co/1Z5M5Zrahh
— Mick Wallace (@wallacemick) August 5, 2021
I'd like @IlhanMN to explain her vote because I just don't get it. Funding Apartheid Israel is beyond forgivable.
— Robi Sadieh (@RobinSadieh) August 4, 2021
