Ilhan Omar, a progressive United States representative who faces a tough primary on Tuesday, has been portrayed by her opponent as too divisive. When it comes to Israel and antisemitism, she has faced sharp criticism for her stances.
Recall that she is the one who tweeted that AIPAC secures support for Israel by bribing Washington with money and who proposed a bill that would allow for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement to operate freely in the US.Omar is facing off against Antone Melton-Meaux for Minnesota's fifth district.
However, just a few days before the primary, a surprising op-ed appeared on the blogging platform Medium: a Jewish Omar supporter from her Minnesota district, Jeremy Iggers, not only says he is supporting Omar but explains why he thinks she is good for the Jews.
His piece, which is tied to the “We're Jewish and We Support Ilhan Omar" petition, has garnered a couple of hundred signatures from local residents, "with more people signing on every day," according to Iggers.
Iggers explained that many Jews, like himself, are "questioning our cherished myths about Israel" and the United States and prioritizing values that he feels align with those practiced by Omar.
"... Jews are facing a second reckoning — questioning our cherished myths about Israel and coming to grips with its reality of racism and intolerance, the brutality of the occupation, and the profound corruption of its leaders,” he wrote.
He added that Omar's opposition to the Israel Lobby has enabled a more honest conversation about Israel.
"That’s the part that is really good for the Jews — and also very difficult," he wrote.
“That conversation couldn’t be more timely. At a time when many Americans are facing up to painful truths about our country’s history of slavery and genocide, and many Minneapolitans are facing up to our liberal city’s entrenched patterns of structural racism and deep inequalities, Jews are facing a second reckoning — questioning our cherished myths about Israel and coming to grips with its reality of racism and intolerance, the brutality of the occupation, and the profound corruption of its leaders.”
He concluded that, “Some people criticize Ilhan Omar for being divisive. But she is exactly the kind of leader John Lewis had in mind when he said, ‘Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.’”
A previous version of this article had mistakenly attributed comments to the writer of the Medium op-ed that were not made. The Jerusalem Post apologizes for the mistakes.