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Gloria Steinem Slams Netanyahu Over Omar-Tlaib Ban

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday after the Israeli government barred Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib’s congressional delegation to the West Bank.

Steinem, who is Jewish vowed to never visit Israel under Netanyahu’s rule, stating that his ban was “a welcome sign that I never have to enter any country or place under your [Netanyahu’s] authority.” Steinem recalled a 1980s dinner party when Netanyahu, then the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, allegedly behaved as “a conversational bully to your guests then, just as [he is] a bully to these two elected women leaders now.”

“If you and [President] Trump continue to imitate each other, you will eventually be alone together at the table,” she concluded. “I could wish both of you no greater punishment than that.”

Steinem, one of America’s most prominent feminists, joined other celebrities and political figures such as John Legend, Mayim Bialik, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders in criticizing Netanyahu’s decision.

Alexandra Wells is a news intern at the Forward. Contact her at [email protected]

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