The GOP challenger to Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar responded to news that Rashida Tlaib was seen wearing a shirt suggesting Israel should be removed from the map by calling the move “disgusting” and “not American.”
“I grew up in the Middle East, where erasure of Israel from the maps means only one thing: genocide against the Jewish state and its citizens,” Rep. Omar’s challenger Dalia al Aqidi told the Washington Examiner.
“We see it from Hamas and other Muslim Brotherhood terrorists. To see this from a member of Congress is disgusting, and it’s not American. This kind of hatred is new in American politics. It was only 2018 when Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib came to Washington, and seeing things like this only shows how important it is that we send them packing in November,” she added.
Aqidi was responding to news that Rashida Tlaib was photographed promoting accused anti-Semite Linda Sarsour’s book while wearing a t-shirt that suggested Israel should be eliminated in favor of Palestine.
Aqidi, who is a refugee just like Omar, has been a vocal critic of the Somali-born congresswoman and has been pushing the argument that she identifies as an American more than Omar does.
Rep. Omar recently drew criticism, most notably from Aqidi, for a tweet describing herself with several identifiers, none of which were “American.”
“I came to the U.S. more than 25 years ago. So, basically, I’m not a refugee anymore. I’m not an Iraqi anymore. I’m an American. Period,” Aqidi told Fox & Friends last month.
Five Republicans are vying for the opportunity to face Rep. Omar in a general election, and three Democrats have announced their candidacy to face off against her in a primary on Aug. 11.
