MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC JEWISH CAUCUS CONCERNED BY ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO DENY ENTRY TO REPS. RASHIDA TLAIB AND ILHAN OMAR
The Executive Board of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus released the following statement today in response to the Israeli government’s decision to bar U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from entering Israel
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. — “As Jewish Michiganders, the State of Israel is deeply connected to who we are and what we stand for – representing as it does the pinnacle of Jewish national aspirations and liberal democratic values.
"We are therefore deeply concerned by the Israeli government’s apparent decision to deny entry to Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN). While many of us often disagree with the Congresswomen’s stances and rhetoric around Israel, such is not an excuse for the Israeli government to deny them the courtesy and respect owed to them as members of the United States Congress, a body, which continues to act as the nucleus of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
"Moreover, we remain outraged and discomfited that the Republican Party, led by Donald Trump, continues to use American Jews and our relationship with Israel to lodge false, racist, demagogic attacks on Democrats, including Reps. Tlaib and Omar."
Noah Arbit, founder and chair of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus, added, "Michigan’s Jews will have no part in this President’s ugly charade, while he uses faux concern for Jews, Israel, and antisemitism to attack his opponents by day, and cavorts with white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and xenophobes by night.”
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CONTACT: Noah Arbit, Chair
(248) 325-8560