Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, faced intense scrutiny and backlash after shushing Fox News congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie when pressed about her recent comments regarding “pro-genocide” Jews. The incident occurred as Hasnie approached Omar for a statement while she was on her way to a press conference.
Hasnie asked Omar if she regretted her comments about Jewish students being labeled as pro-genocide, to which Omar ignored the question. When Hasnie followed up by inquiring about demonstrators who may support genocide, Omar once again avoided the question. Hasnie then asked Omar to elaborate on her comments, prompting Omar to shush her and wave her hand in the correspondent’s face before walking away.
Omar’s controversial remarks were made during a visit to Columbia University’s anti-Israel encampment, where she was asked to comment on the rise of antisemitism faced by Jewish students on college campuses. Omar’s response implied that all Jewish students, regardless of their views, should be kept safe from bigotry and antisemitism.
The CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, condemned Omar’s comments as “patently false” and a “blood libel,” stating that it is unacceptable to suggest that any Jewish student is “pro-genocide.” Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz also criticized Omar, accusing her of “pouring gasoline” on the growing antisemitism.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon is reportedly considering a censure against Omar for her remarks, labeling them as “wrong” and highlighting that blaming Jewish-American students for issues related to Israel is a form of antisemitism.
The incident has sparked a heated debate and further highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding issues of antisemitism and free speech.
