Ilhan Omar Image by CNN/YouTube

Representative Ilhan Omar said her choice of words in 2012, when she tweeted that “Israel has hypnotized the world” during the war with Gaza, was “unfortunate.”

PBS host Christiane Amanpour asked the Minnesota congresswoman Wednesday whether she regretted the statements she made then, and what she would say now to American Jews.

“I remember when that was happening, watching TV, and really feeling as if no other life was being impacted in this war,” Omar said. “Those unfortunate words were the only words I could think about expressing that moment.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

She continued: “What is really important to me is that people recognize that there is a difference between criticizing a military action by a government that has exercised really oppressive policies and being offensive or attack-y to particular people of faith.

Referring to her pro-BDS stance, Omar said Israel is not the only country she has boycotted — she mentioned Saudi Arabia is another.

“To me it is important, when you see oppression taking place, when you regressiveness happen, when you see our values being attacked as humans, you must stand up,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who the inhibitors of that particular region might be. What matters is who is leading it. And we must address the kind of leadership that leads to a more unjust world, if we’re to actually express our values of peace and justice in the world.”

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at fisher@forward.com, or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount