Omar clarifies tweet after pushback from fellow Democrats

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar said Thursday that she "was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems," after her tweet earlier this week spurred harsh criticism from Republicans and prominent Jewish Democrats.

Hours before, the Minnesota Democrat publicly clashed with some members of her own party after a dozen House Democrats criticized the congresswoman, saying in a statement that "equating the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban is as offensive as it is misguided." Republicans, long critical of Omar, also pushed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take action against the second-term lawmaker.

Omar has been a vocal critic of Israel's government and a prominent advocate for Palestinian human rights. Her strongly-held views have put her at odds in key moments with Jewish Democrats such as Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, one of twelve lawmakers who signed onto the joint statement calling out Omar Wednesday night. The Democrats were publicly seeking clarification from Omar, which they later got, after they said "false equivalencies give cover to terrorist groups."

https://www.startribune.com/omar-clarifies-tweet-after-pushback-from-fellow-democrats/600066716/