Government & Politics

Pro-Israel groups take issue with appointment of Omar to House Foreign Affairs Committee While several pro-Israel groups criticized the appointment of Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has endorsed BDS, as a 'dangerous development,' others expressed confidence in the pro-Israel leadership of the committee to counter her. J Street contends the attacks on her are 'bigoted and deeply wrong.'

(JNS) It didn’t take long for Jewish and Israel-related groups to react to the appointment of anti-Israel Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Along with several other new members of Congress, Omar has gained considerable attention as part of […]

Demonstrations

Women’s March releases agenda that blasts pro-Israel legislation Progressive group calls anti-Boycott, Divestment Sanctions bills threat to free speech

(Washington Times) The Women’s March kicked off Saturday in Washington, D.C., shortly after leaders released a sweeping policy document that includes opposition to legislation targeting the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The 71-page Women’s Agenda took a stand against anti-BDS bills, […]

Government & Politics

Freshman lawmaker calls Israel a ‘regime,’ secures coveted committee seat She spoke to CNN and defended a tweet she posted in 2012 that claimed that 'Israel has hypnotized the world.'

(Jerusalem Post) Ilhan Omar, a newly elected Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, secured a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, bringing to that high-level forum experience as a Somali refugee, perspective as one of the first two Muslim women elected […]

Government & Politics

Rashida Tlaib blasts ‘right wing media’ after coverage of get-together with pro-Hezbollah activist Tlaib: 'I am Muslim and Palestinian. Get over it.'

(Washington Times) Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, accused “right wing media” Tuesday of picking on her for being Muslim after she was slammed for hosting a pro-Hezbollah activist at her congressional swearing-in ceremony in Detroit. “Right wing media targeting me again rather […]

Government & Politics

‘People who look like me’: US Muslims celebrate Tlaib and Omar victories Supporters of the first Muslim congresswomen in US history say they see themselves reflected in Congress for the first time in their lives

(Middle East Eye) Ilhan Omar had four hours to decide whether to run for Congress. Last June, Keith Ellison, then a representative for Minnesota and the first Muslim elected to Congress, made a late-hour entry into the state’s attorney general race, leaving […]

Crime

Afghanistan sends deported asylum-seeker back to Germany The government of Afghanistan has denied entry to a failed asylum-seeker deported by Germany. The Afghans say the man was turned back at the border as per agreement with the German government because he's mentally ill.

(Deutsche Welle) In an article designed to raise the hackles of those worried about foreigners and crime, German daily Bild reported on Thursday that Afghanistan had turned away an Afghan deportee with a long criminal record at its border and sent him back […]

Government & Politics

Rep. Rashida Tlaib says she referred to senators, not Jewish people, in blast about dual loyalties Michigan Democrat accuses Republicans of 'inventing controversy'

(Washington Times) After her obscenity-laced tirade at President Trump, Rep. Rashida Tlaib has touched off another uproar, this time over anti-Semitism. The Michigan Democrat, one of the two first Muslim women to serve in Congress, said Monday that she was referring to […]