Ilhan Omar Opposes Sanctions on Iran but Wants to Sanction Israel

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 03: Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks at a campaign rally
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Deborah Brand

TEL AVIV – Rep. Ilhan Omar has come under fire over her hypocrisy in criticizing President Donald Trump for his “unmeasured response” in waging “economic warfare” against Iran by imposing new sanctions, while at the same time having no problem supporting sanctions against Israel. 

“This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare,” the Minnesota Democrat said Wednesday following Trump’s announcement the U.S. would impose new “powerful” sanctions against Iran until “Iran changes its behavior.”

Omar continued: “They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran. You cannot claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response!”

Earlier on Wednesday, Omar said the “crippling” sanctions would “starve the innocent people of Iran.”

Critics were quick to point out that for Omar, Israel’s citizens are apparently not as innocent as Iran’s. The Minnesota Democrat clearly has no qualms about sanctioning the Jewish state, as testified by her vocal support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Sanctions against Iran are deemed “economic warfare” and “not a measured response.”

Such “warfare” against Jews in Israel is apparently fair game.

“So sanctions are only good when they are against Jews? You support BDS. You’re talking out of both sides of your mouth and REALLY exposing your radical antisemitism,” one Twitter user wrote.

“Ilhan Omar views sanctions on terror regimes to be ‘economic warfare’ but supports them when aimed at the world’s only Jewish state. Must just be a coincidence,” another Twitter user said.

“Ilhan Omar has now decried sanctions on the Castros in Cuba, Maduro in Venezuela, and the Ayatollah in Iran,” Michael Abrams, a GOP communications director, wrote. “At the same time, she’s the leading voice in Congress on sanctioning the Jewish people in the world’s only Jewish state. Wonder why.”

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