Omar announced last week that she intends on visiting Israel and the Palestinian Territories soon, along with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan, 13th District), who also supports the BDS movement. Omar said that she "wants to learn" but did not provide any details. David Friedman attacked both Rhodes and Omar, calling their accusations fake news."Fake News: Obama Deputy NSA Ben Rhodes tweets that Palestinian homes destroyed this week by Israel solely for racist motivations." Friedman wrote on his own Twitter. "Faker News: Rhodes’ lie immediately endorsed by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar."Friedman pointed to the lengthy legal proceedings and the selective razing applied only to structures that were built after the edict to disavow the racism claims."Real News: Demolition authorized as to some but not all illegal structures on national security grounds by the highly regarded Israeli High Court of Justice after seven years of legal proceedings. Yet another phony charge of racism," Friedman said.Ben is right. Palestinians deserve self-determination and statehood just like their neighbors, not destruction of their property and indefinite military occupation of their land. This has to stop! https://t.co/60pDhmWdzg
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 22, 2019
The High Court of Justice had ruled that the structures could be demolished because they “constitute a security danger to the area of the security fence,” the Civil Administration said on Monday. “Enforcement procedures were carried out in accordance with authority and procedures and subject to operational considerations.”In June, the High Court of Justice rejected an appeal by residents to halt the demolitions. The court is now in the midst of hearing a second appeal, but rejected a request for an injunction against the demolitions on Sunday, until such time as all the legal proceedings were completed.The Civil Administration said the structures were demolished because they were too close to the security barrier. The buildings were “in an area that falls under an injunction prohibiting building signed by the GOC Central Command on the outskirts of Sur Bahir in close proximity to the security fence,” the Civil Administration said.The Jerusalem Municipality promised to advance within 180 days a new building plan for 5.5 hectares in Sur Bahir, which will house businesses, creating 1,500 jobs.Tovah Lazaroff and Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this articleReal News: Demolition authorized as to some but not all illegal structures on national security grounds by the highly regarded Israeli High Court of Justice after seven years of legal proceedings. Yet another phony charge of racism.
— David M. Friedman (@USAmbIsrael) July 23, 2019