World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder today issued the following statement deploring the recent antisemitic comments by U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar:
“I have made a personal commitment, throughout my tenure as the President of the World Jewish Congress, to avoid commenting on political issues in my own country. But hearing an elected Representative in Congress and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee give a voice to anti-Semitism from the Capital, I cannot be silent.
“Representative Ilhan Omar has been consistent in one thing both before and after her election to Congress this past November – that is her vicious anti-Israel sentiment and her anti-Jewish rhetoric.
“Her apology, which only came after the Democratic leadership rightly denounced her, is not valid. When you have to force someone to give an apology, it can’t truly be considered sincere.
“This not a partisan issue. It is not Democrat or Republican. It doesn’t matter what side you are on. If you are an American, you should stand up and defend the rights of all people.
“This is one of those singular moments in our history when good and decent people should take the strongest action possible. If we don’t, this will lead us down a path that no one wants to go.
“The House leadership should continue to act quickly and forcefully if Ms. Omar, or any other Member of Congress, attacks people of any faith.”