“That’s how long American political leaders spend defending a foreign nation, even if it means attacking Americans’ free speech rights.”
Ilhan responded to the tweet by commenting “It’s all about the Benjamins”, which was perceived by many American politicians as an allegation against the US government of receiving money from the Israeli government for ignoring their actions as he said in his remarks. Wrote “Benjamins”. Which, according to American politicians, is not only the former Israeli PM . refers to the Benjamin Netanyahu But even on $100 currency, which has the picture of former US President Benjamin Franklin printed on it. Responding to the controversy, Ilhan clarified that the line was derived from an American rap and was not intended for former US President Benjamin Franklin. In the same year, Ilhan Omar made a controversial remark that Israel was pumping large amounts of money into the US in order to enjoy US support for its conflict with Palestine; However, his statement did not go down well with the Americans, and he faced heavy opposition for his remarks. After his statement, Ilhan Omar issued an apology after Democrats condemned his statements and called him anti-Semitic. Talking about this he said,
“Anti-Zionism is real and I am grateful to Jewish allies and allies who are educating me about the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. I never intend to outright offend my constituents or Jewish Americans. I apologize unequivocally. At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, be it the AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry.
In 2019, the Israeli government banned Ilhan’s entry into Israel, following a series of accusations made by Ilhan Omar on the Israeli government, citing Ilhan’s affiliation with the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Partition and Sanctions (BDS) movement through which she wanted to create unrest. Israel. Talking about Ilhan’s ban, an Israeli government spokesman said,
“Stopping BDS supporters who come here to hurt us from inside, we must do the least against those who hate Israel.”
, Allegations of misappropriation of funds: In 2019, Ilhan Omar was accused of embezzlement of $3,69,000 in funds by the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC). According to the NLPC, Ilhan was given money for campaigning; However, Ilhan used the money for his personal use. In 2022, the US Federal Election Commission (FEC) dismissed the case filed by the NLPC against Ilhan, as it found no conclusive evidence against him.
, Controversy over Ilhaan’s brother’s marriage: In 2019, during the 2020 presidential campaign, Donald Trump said that Ilhan Omar’s ex-husband Ahmed Noor Said Elmi was his brother, and he married him to help him get a green card in the US. Talking about this he said,
“There is much talk that she was married to her brother.”
Ilhan defended himself, terming the allegations as false and baseless. Following the allegations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched an investigation into the issue; However, the FBI closed the investigation after finding no evidence against him.
, Ilhan’s controversial remarks on Kashmir: In 2022, Ilhan Omar said during a press conference that the US President should speak openly about India and criticize the country for its policies regarding Kashmir. In April 2022, he visited Pakistan, where he said the US State Committee on Foreign Affairs regularly investigates human rights violations that took place on the Indian side of Kashmir and its “anti-Muslim rhetoric”. On 21 April 2022, he visited the Pakistani side of Kashmir, which was objected to by the Indian government. The Government of India in its official statement said,
“We have seen that US Representative Ilhan Omar has visited a part of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan. If such a politician uses his narrow-minded politics at home, If she wants to practice, it may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in pursuit of it makes it ours. This journey is reprehensible.”
Responding to the objections, the US government said that Ilhan was on a personal visit to Pakistan and was not sent there by the US government.
On 22 June 2022, Ilhan Omar presented a resolution in the Senate, urging the US government to place India as a country of special concern (CPC) under the American International Religious Freedom Act (USIRFA) for alleged human rights violations. was done. Minorities in India. Talking about this he said,
“I condemn human rights violations in India, especially those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis and other religious and cultural minorities. Resolution from US Secretary of State calls India a ‘Country of Special Concern’ Calls to designate it as the International Religious Freedom Act—a move that can lead to economic sanctions in extreme cases. recommending the position.”
