After Rep. Ilhan Omar placed blame on the Israeli Defense Forces for the hospital strike in Gaza, she has realized her slip-up and acknowledged new evidence that suggests Israel was not responsible for the incident. Instead, it appears that a misfired rocket launched by a Palestinian militant group caused the explosion.
Initially, Omar had accused the IDF of committing war crimes, expressing her concerns on social media by stating, “Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific.”
She further called on President Joe Biden to intervene and push for an “immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”
However, new evidence has come to light, suggesting that the hospital strike was not the result of IDF action but rather a misfired rocket launched by a Palestinian militant group. Even Biden himself acknowledged that the IDF was not responsible for the incident.
In response to this information, Omar revised her initial accusation in another post, stating, “Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility, and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel.”
Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 19, 2023
She went on to call for a “fully independent” investigation to definitively determine who was responsible for the incident.
It is critical that we have a fully independent investigation to determine conclusively who is responsible for this war crime. https://t.co/8d7E3cLtk3
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 19, 2023
She emphasized the importance of clarity in establishing accountability, saying, “It is critical that we have a fully independent investigation to determine conclusively who is responsible for this war crime.”
While she failed to issue a direct apology to Israel for the wrong accusation, Omar’s approach is a bit different from that of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), another lawmaker who initially blamed Israel for the hospital strike.
Unlike Omar, Tlaib has not shown any signs of backtracking and has instead maintained her flawed stance after tweeting, “Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital, killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS, this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate.”
Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate.
Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many… https://t.co/mZYoifT7bj
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) October 17, 2023
She still went on to address anti-Israel protesters at the Capitol, accusing Israel of “oppression” and “human rights violations.”
While she did not directly repeat her initial claims against Israel, she did not acknowledge she was wrong,
Following the posts by Omar and Tlaib, former Assemblyman Dov Hikind (R-NY) and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman have called on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to initiate an ethics inquiry into the actions of both representatives.
In their joint statement, they asserted, “Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and any other member of Congress who promoted this nasty blood libel crossed all lines and exposed their truest intention, which is not support for Palestinians but to harm and enfeeble Israel.”
The statement concluded with a challenge to Jeffries, stating, “Hakeem has an opportunity to prove to American Jewry that the Democrats are not the anti-Israel/pro-Hamas party their loudest representatives make them out to be! The ball is in his court.”
