Washington: Israel’s decision to bar two Muslim members of the US Congress drew strikingly sharp criticism from several allies to the Jewish state, including top Democratic lawmakers, presidential hopefuls and influential pro-Israel lobby American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The AIPAC, widely supported by Democrats and Republicans alike in the American capital, led a collection of pro-Israel groups in denouncing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s block of the anti-Trump lawmakers’ visit, a move encouraged by President Donald Trump himself.
While the group’s members ‘disagree’ with support by House Democrats Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib for a boycott Israel, AIPAC said ‘we also believe every member of Congress should be able to visit and experience democratically Israel firsthand’.
More than 70 House and Senate Democrats publicly denounced Israel’s rejection. However, Republican lawmakers were largely silent following the announcement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a staunch Israel ally on Capitol Hill, called the decision ‘a sign of weakness (that) will only hurt the US-Israeli relationship and support for Israel in America’.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi herself has clashed with Omar and Tlaib, who have been accused of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements. But Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, called the travel ban ‘beneath the dignity of the great State of Israel’.
Israel scrapped the visit shortly after Donald Trump weighed in via Twitter to say it would be showing ‘great weakness’ if the Jewish state allowed lawmakers Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib in. It led to suspicion that Netanyahu acted only after receiving ally Trump’s imprimatur.
That notion was reinforced by Israel’s ex-ambassador to Washington Danny Ayalon, who tweeted that his government had ‘rightfully decided to accept that recommendation’ from Trump.
Omar, a Somali refugee, and Tlaib, born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrants, have faced censure from colleagues in Congress.
The House of Representatives voted to condemn anti-Semitism in March, after a series of Omar remarks that were criticised as offensive to Israel and Jews.
Several lawmakers expressed alarm at Trump’s deviation from traditional diplomatic protocol, saying his interference will only drive a wedge between the longstanding allies and undermine the bipartisan basis for congressional support.
“The Trump Administration made a mistake in urging Israel to prevent Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering the country,” said Senator Susan Collins, one of the only Republican lawmakers to openly break with Trump over the incident.
Trump himself insisted it was Israel’s call. “What they’ve said is disgraceful, so I can’t imagine why Israel would let them in,” Trump told reporters of the lawmakers. “But if they want to let them in, they can.”
While most Republicans laid low, some support for Netanyahu’s move, and Trump’s intervention, trickled out.
Congressman Mo Brooks tweeted that Omar and Tlaib ‘hate, want to hurt, maybe even destroy’ the Jewish state.
AFP