DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Trump: Israel shouldn't let Omar, Tlaib visit country

Trump: Israel shouldn't let Omar, Tlaib visit country


President Trump on Thursday said Israel should not allow two U.S. congresswomen with whom he has feuded to enter the country for an upcoming trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Trump tweeted that it would show "great weakness" on Israel's part if it allowed Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, to cross its border.

“It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tlaib to visit. They hate Israel & all Jewish people, & there is nothing that can be said or done to change their minds. Minnesota and Michigan will have a hard time putting them back in office. They are a disgrace!” Trump tweeted.



Shortly after Trump's tweet, reports emerged that Israel would deny entry to the two U.S. congresswomen. It was unclear if the decision came before or after Trump's tweet.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government had reportedly been poised to block Tlaib and Omar from entering the country.

The two congresswomen have criticized his government and voted against a nonbinding resolution last month condemning a movement to boycott the Israeli state over its treatment of Palestinians.

A new Israeli law denies entry to the country to people who back such boycotts.

The decision would be a reversal for Israel, which had earlier signaled it would allow the two U.S. lawmakers to enter the country.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer said last month that the country would not deny entry to any lawmakers “out of respect for the U.S. Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America.”

Trump's remarks urging Israel to deny entry to two U.S. lawmakers is all the more notable because congressional leaders in both parties have said that Omar and Tlaib should be allowed to visit Israel.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) during a bipartisan congressional visit to Jerusalem said all U.S. lawmakers should be able to visit Israel. He said everyone should be able to "see what we see," during an appearance before reporters.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) discussed the visit with Israeli officials Wednesday and urged them to change their decision, according to The Washington Post.

Jeremey Ben-Ami, the president of the pro-Israel group J Street, said that the move to block the House members' visit was "unacceptable and wrong."

"This reported decision by Prime Minister Netanyahu is dangerous, unacceptable and wrong. As sitting Members of Congress representing hundreds of thousands of Americans in their districts, Reps. Omar and Tlaib have the same right as every one of their colleagues to visit Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory," Ben-Ami said in a statement.

"We may disagree with the views that the Members hold on such questions as BDS or with Rep. Tlaib on the two-state solution, but the right approach for a state that values democracy is to welcome criticism and debate, not to shut it down."

Trump has been a steadfast ally of Netanyahu and critic of Tlaib and Omar, who he has repeatedly used as political foils.

The president launched a major controversy earlier this summer when he said Tlaib, Omar and two other congresswomen, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), should "go back" to where they came from. Three of the women were born in the U.S., and Omar is a refugee from Somalia who came to the U.S. decades ago

The trip for the two congresswomen has been planned by a nonprofit organization, Miftah, headed by Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi. The trip was set to take them to Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah as well as Jerusalem to meet with civil society groups, humanitarian workers, young people and hospital workers.

Tlaib planned to extend her stay to see her grandmother, who lives in the West Bank.

Omar and Tlaib have both been both vocal critics of Israel and supporters of the international boycott, divest and sanctions movement against the country.

Omar has raised eyebrows with her remarks on Israel, notably saying U.S. lawmakers’ support for the country is “all about the Benjamins.” Omar maintains the remark was meant to highlight the sway pro-Israel lobbying groups hold in Washington, though critics said the comment touched on anti-Semitic tropes.

Updated at 11:11 a.m.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...d-omar-tlaib-to

Racism? Partisan bickering? I think Trump went WAY too far here. POTUS!

AIPAC breaks with Netanyahu over Omar-Tlaib decision

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Thursday broke with Israel's decision to bar Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) from visiting the country, saying "every member of Congress should be able to visit."

"We disagree with Reps. Omar and Tlaib’s support for the anti-Israel and anti-peace BDS movement, along with Rep. Tlaib’s calls for a one-state solution. We also believe every member of Congress should be able to visit and experience our democratic ally Israel firsthand," AIPAC tweeted Thursday.



The statement follows Israel's announcement that the House Democrats will be prevented from entering the country as part of a planned trip over their support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.


Israel's announcement came shortly after President Trump urged the country to bar the progressive lawmakers from entering.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his country’s decision, citing an Israeli law that prohibits entry into the country for individuals who support a boycott of Israel.

“As a vibrant and free democracy, Israel is open to any critic and criticism, with one exception: Israel’s law prohibits the entry of people who call and operate to boycott Israel, as is the case with other democracies that prevent the entry of people whose perception harms the country," he said in a statement posted to his official Facebook page.

Omar and Tlaib have been vocal advocates of Palestinian rights and BDS. They were among 17 Democrats to vote against a bill to oppose BDS last month.

Omar has also been publicly critical of AIPAC and its influence in Washington.

In February she tweeted, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” in reference to the group. Her controversial remarks were widely condemned by Democrats and Republicans, with some saying the remarks were anti-Semitic.

AIPAC was founded in 1963 with a mission of promoting the U.S.-Israeli relationship.

Congressional lawmakers lashed out at Trump’s support for Israel to ban the Muslim American lawmakers from visiting the country.

Trump tweeted it would show “great weakness if Israel allowed” the congresswomen to visit.

https://thehill.com/policy/international...ael-decision-we

Trolling the media to get upset and change the news cycle.

MSNBC said the same, word is he's in a tizzy over the economy. He's been told if it tanks, he will without doubt lose the election. He was bad mouthing the 'fake news media' today saying they are trying to tank the economy to make him look bad... smh

Nothing is EVER his fault. He even blames Obama for stinking up the bathroom when he takes a dump.

No problem...

I think I heard on the news this morning that Israel will allow Talib to visit her grandmother

Yes, Tlaib wrote a letter to Israel ministry which you can see online about how her grandma is in her 90s and this might be the last chance she has to see her and she promises to NOT promote boycotts during her visit..

Israel accepted her offer and said she could make her visit..

then she declined saying she wouldn't go if it meant silencing her opinion.. even though that was HER offer from the beginning.

It was a publicity stunt to keep her on-going feud with Israel in the news.. I'm sure she thought her request would be rejected and she could use it as evidence of how evil Israel is but they accepted it..

Now she just looks like a moron who chose her hatred of Israel and Jews over the chance to see her grandmother one last time.....

Well for those that claimed Israel has no intention to listen to Palestinians it's looking pretty good for them too. Netanyahu looks more like a puppet of Trump than a leader as well.

Does that make Netanyahu a sub-puppet to Putin? I didn't know puppets could have puppets of their own..

Your continued support of the deplorable actions of some of our word leaders is never surprising.

we all know $#!+ runs down hill. Netanyahu just happens to be at the bottom of that hill.