Republican Reps. Zeldin, Stefanik and Budd introduced a resolution Wednesday to condemn the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment in politics.
The resolution specifically called out Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, the leaders of the Women’s March, as well as Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar who have expressed their support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement.
The BDS movement calls for companies and groups to protest and penalize the state of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinian people. Many of those who are in opposition to the movement label it as anti-Semitic because they are only targeting one country to be penalized and not any other.
Congresswoman Tlaib was also asked in the resolution to explain her relationship with Abbas Hamideh, a man who was at her swearing-in ceremony and has previously expressed his belief that Israel does not the right to exist.
TOPSHOT – US Representative-elect Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) reacts to a good number during an office lottery for new members of Congress on Capitol Hill November 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
“From using the oldest anti-Semitic tricks in the book to rejecting Israel’s very right to exist, blatant anti-Jewish, anti-Israel hate is growing and normalizing the discrimination against the Jewish people this world vowed it would never accept again,” Zeldin stated in a press release sent to The Daily Caller. “Congress must immediately and unequivocally denounce this hatred in the United States and around the world, standing in solidarity against racism and discrimination in any form.”
He continued:
Congress must immediately and unequivocally denounce this hatred in the United States and around the world, standing in solidarity against racism and discrimination in any form. Last week, the House voted to reject White Supremacy, which I voted YES on. The Speaker should immediately schedule a vote to pass my new Resolution as well, rejecting the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hate infiltrating American politics and the halls of Congress, and it should be passed at least on a nearly unanimous, bipartisan basis.
As Farrakhan, etc spew anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate, many Reps. have embraced/echoed them. Last week, the House voted to reject White Supremacy. We should also pass my new Reso rejecting anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate infiltrating US politics & Congress:
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 23, 2019
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The resolution also singled out Congresswoman Omar’s 2012 tweet claiming that Israel has “hypnotized the world.” However, the congresswoman apologized earlier this week and explained that she was unaware of the anti-Semitic connotations associated with the word. (RELATED: Rep. Omar Defends Tweet Claiming ‘Israel Has Hypnotized The World,’ Says It’s Not About Religion)
Reps. Omar and Tlaib’s offices did not immediately return a request for comment.