New Congresswoman Denies Change on BDS

The new Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar has denied that she deceived voters during the campaign about her opposition to the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Wednesday.

During the campaign, Omar told an audience in a Minneapolis area synagogue that she thought BDS was “counteractive” and prevents dialogue.

However, in a post-election reply to a query from website Muslim Girl, Omar’s office said: “Ilhan believes in and supports the BDS movement, and has fought to make sure people’s right to support it isn’t criminalized…”

TC Jewfolk, a local Jewish news website, queried Omar on the apparent contradiction.

Omar parried the question, saying that she had not changed her position:

“I believe and support the BDS movement and have fought to make sure people’s right to support it isn’t criminalized,” she said. “I do, however, have reservations on [the] effectiveness of the movement in accomplishing a lasting solution. Which is what I believe I said at the forum.”

Omar is the first Somali and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. The other Muslim woman elected last week, Rashida Tlaib of the Detroit area, also backs BDS, JTA noted.