Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar could not bring herself to provide one word of sympathy when asked about the murder of two Israeli diplomats in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night.
Pro-Palestinian activist Elias Rodriguez, 31, reportedly has confessed to gunning down two staffers from the Israeli embassy — Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrimas, 26 — as they were leaving the Young Diplomats Reception being held at the Capital Jewish Museum.
The alleged gunman shouted, “Free, Free Palestine!” outside the building after being arrested.
A man who shouted “Free Palestine!” fatally shot two Israeli Embassy staffers near a Jewish museum in downtown Washington in what law enforcement believe was an act of targeted violence.
Read more: 🔗 https://t.co/P1zSemmNvg pic.twitter.com/7gprshENkF
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 22, 2025
A reporter asked Omar as she was leaving the Capitol Thursday, “Can I get your reaction to the shooting that happened in DC last night?”
“I’m going to go for now,” she answered, never even looking at the reporter.
WATCH: @IlhanMN refuses to comment on the cold-blooded murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. pic.twitter.com/afQVNJ7VAx
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 22, 2025
The congresswoman later posted on the social media platform X, “I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the [Capitol] Jewish Museum last night. Holding the victims, their families, and loved ones in my thoughts and prayers. Violence should have no place in our country.”
I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum last night.
Holding the victims, their families, and loved ones in my thoughts and prayers.
Violence should have no place in our country.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 22, 2025
Fairly bland as statements go, with, of course, the proviso that she’s against all violence, thereby putting the alleged targeted killing of Jewish people in the same category as any random act of murder.
Most probably know that Omar has a history when it comes to Israel.
Multiple censure resolutions have been brought against her, and she was publicly admonished by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for suggesting on Twitter in 2019 that the only reason people support the Jewish State is “about the Benjamins.”
In our conversation today, Congresswoman Omar and I agreed that we must use this moment to move forward as we reject anti-Semitism in all forms. https://t.co/UpZA3DNgQs pic.twitter.com/1Z6rH65e3M
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) February 11, 2019
Journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon, who is Jewish, responded at the time to Omar’s since-deleted tweet, “Would love to know who @IlhanMN thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman.”
Omar answered, “AIPAC!” referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the most influential pro-Israel advocacy group in Washington, D.C.
Would love to know who @IlhanMN thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, though I think I can guess. Bad form, Congresswoman. That’s the second anti-Semitic trope you’ve tweeted. https://t.co/FTCaCe7WyG
— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) February 11, 2019
Last spring, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska brought a censure resolution against Omar over comments she made while visiting pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University in New York.
“I think it is really unfortunate that people don’t care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they are pro-genocide or anti-genocide,” the congresswoman said, according to the New York Post.
In other words, those American Jewish students who support Israel are “pro-genocide.”
Israel certainly hasn’t engaged in genocide toward the Palestinians in response to the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. When you inform civilians to evacuate areas ahead of bombings and allow tons of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, that would run exactly contrary to trying to destroy all Palestinians.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt responded at the time, “It is patently false and a blood libel to suggest that ANY Jewish students are ‘pro-genocide.’”
“It is abhorrent that a sitting member of Congress would slander an entire group of young people in such a cold, calculated manner. This is how people get killed,” he added.
Watch this clip. It features @IlhanMN walking through @Columbia proclaiming that “Jewish students… should not have to tolerate antisemitism… whether they’re pro-genocide or anti-genocide.”
It is patently false and a blood libel to suggest that ANY Jewish students are… pic.twitter.com/XbP5J4VspE
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 28, 2024
The Post reported that in February 2023, Republicans removed Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over her past comments about Israel and Jewish people.
Omar’s belated post on X, Thursday, expressing sympathy for the murder of two Israeli diplomats in Washington must be taken in the context of her history. Her true feelings on the matter were on display when she declined to comment on camera regarding the tragedy.
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