US/World News

Linda Sarsour says Jewish progressives have divided loyalties

(JTA) – Women’s March leader Linda Sarsour appeared to criticize American Jewish liberals of putting their support for Israel ahead of their commitment to democracy. Her comments, which some felt echoed charges that Jews have divided loyalties, appeared in a Facebook post calling for support for Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar, who said this week that she supports boycotting Israel. Sarsour, a Palestinian-American activist for civil rights, wrote in the post Thursday that Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, is “being attacked for saying that she supports BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) and the right for people to engage in constitutionally protected freedoms. This is not only coming from the right-wing but some folks who masquerade as progressives but always choose their allegiance to Israel over their commitment to democracy and free speech.” Sarsour called for people to post messages of support to Omar on social media.

“You don’t have to support BDS and have every right not to but we cannot stand by idly while a brave Black Muslim American woman is targeted for saying she will uphold the constitution of the United States of America as a member of the US Congress,” she wrote.

In the comments section in response to the criticism, Sarsour singled out the Anti-Defamation League. In an online petition in support of Omar, Sarsour wrote that she was alarmed by “organizations like the ADL using their platforms to attack a trailblazing Black Muslim woman in order to undermine advocacy for Palestinian human rights.” The ADL, along with many Jewish groups across the political spectrum, fiercely oppose the Boycott Israel movement, which they say unfairly singles out Israel for pariah status and has as its stated goal the dismantling of the Jewish state.

Sarsour’s post raised the ire of the American Jewish Committee, which responded in a tweet. “Accusing Jews of dual loyalty is one of the oldest and most pernicious antisemitic tropes,” the AJC wrote. “No surprise to see it coming from @LSarsour. How long will progressive leaders continue to look the other way in the face of this hate?”

Omar’s tweets about Israel have earned her notoriety in the pro-Israel community. In 2012, she said that Israel had “hypnotized the world” to ignore its “evil doings.” Defending that tweet earlier this year, she said on the same platform that calling attention to the “Israeli apartheid regime” was not antisemitic.

Tlaib, a Palestinian-American elected from the Detroit area, also backs BDS and posted on Twitter in support of Omar.

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