Leftists Fight Bigotry: Linking Islamophobia, Antisemitism and Discrimination Against Palestinians

Recent attempts by House Leftists to address discrimination of certain minority groups have been met with controversy as antisemitism is included in the resolution. The resolution’s author, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, in partnership with other various Democratic Representatives, introduced the resolution as a response to rising rates of discrimination and violence against Muslims, or Islamophobia. The resolution also condemns anti-Palestinian discrimination and the ending of the 1967 occupation, taking a stance on the current Israel-Palestine conflict. However, the document has also received criticism due to its inclusion of antisemitism. A specific portion of the resolution states that “The Thread of Antisemitism” must be addressed alongside other forms of bigotry around the world. The criticism comes mainly from Republicans, who see the resolution as attempting to legitimize what they perceive as anti-Israel sentiment with antisemitism. The inclusion of antisemitism in the resolution has angered some House Democrats, with prominent Jewish Democrats such as Michigan Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz decrying the document. Wasserman-Schultz, while condemning all forms of discrimination, has stated that “Racism and bigotry are not limited to only Muslims,” and that Islamophobia “is just as real and just as dangerous as Antisemitism.” Additionally, a group of Jewish representatives has released a letter to Omar and House leadership urging the withdrawal of the resolution. In the letter, they state that “including anti-Semitism in a resolution that focuses on hate against Muslims violates core values of our nation.” However, Omar and her supporters are standing by the resolution, denying that the language used in the resolution is anti-Semitic or anti-Israel. In response to the criticism, Omar and her supporters claim the resolution offers a fair condemnation of discrimination against Muslims and Palestinians without legitimizing antisemitism. At present, the resolution still stands, although it has certainly caused a stir in the House Democratic ranks. While attempts to fight discrimination are always applauded, the inclusion of antisemitism in the resolution has created tension and left many representatives torn between their support of the Muslim and Palestinian communities and their support of the Jewish community.