The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations denounced recent statements by Representative Rashida Tlaib that seemed to imply that Jews exploit the poor in her home city of Detroit and around the world.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

On Aug. 6, the Conference said that it was deeply concerned about the antisemitic nature of Tlaib's comments that she delivered during a video address for the Democratic Socialists of America National Convention.

Tlaib said that as a Palestinian American whose family lives under what she called a military occupation, she saw parallels with the treatment of African-Americans in Detroit.

"I always tell people, cutting people off from water is violence," she said, "and they do it from Gaza to Detroit. And it's a way to control people, to oppress people."

Tlaib said that the exploitation is the results of a structure that she believes oppresses people for profit at the expense of what she called human rights like universal health care, a higher minimum wage and against the fight for a "free Palestine."

"And I tell people, those same people, that if you open the curtain and look behind the curtain, it's the same people that make money – and yes, they do – off of racism, off of these broken policies. There is someone there making money," she said.

The comments set off some outrage on social media, although not as much as recent rhetoric by her colleague, Representative Ilhan Omar, where it was pointed out that the conspiracy that Jews are behind oppression all over the world is the same as that peddled by the Nazis.

"In comments linking the situation in Gaza to unrelated conditions in Detroit, she described a shadowy force acting behind the curtains in both places and around the world, controlling a system which is 'designed by those who exploit the rest of us, for their own profit,'" a joint statement from Conference president and CEO William Daroff, chair Dianne Lob and Vice-Chair Malcolm Hoenlein read.

"Through her pointing to the tensions between Israel and Gaza, and saying that 'they do it from Gaza to Detroit,' it is clear that Representative Tlaib is suggesting that the Jews are the uniting factor."

While most groups remained quiet about the statements, the American Jewish Committee weighed in on Twitter.

"[Tlaib] has once again used an antisemitic trope claiming that Jews profit from racism in America," the AJC tweeted. "Enough is enough. Representative Tlaib's ugly rhetoric must be denounced by all."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism tweeted: "The impact of [Tlaib's] remarks is to perpetuate centuries of antisemitic tropes. The fight for justice cannot be won by reinforcing anti-Jewish hatred. I call on her to retract these harmful and hurtful words, regardless of her intent."

Pesner was retweeting another post by Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who said he was stunned to hear those words.

"We've heard this kind of ugly antisemitic dog-whistling before, but it's appalling when it comes from a member of Congress," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the Republican Jewish Coalition used the remarks to again point to the lack of condemnation from its Democratic counterpart, the Jewish Democratic Council of America, asking them who they thought Tlaib was referring to.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Rashida Tlaib accuses Israel of 'water violence,' elicits angry responses appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

"I spoke to [US House] Speaker Nancy Pelosi and we discussed the importance of the strong relationship between the US and Israel and I thanked her for her commitment," President Rivlin tweeted.

 Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

"Our connection is a connection between peoples, which relies on historical ties, deep and strong friendships and shared values ​​that do not derive from one or the other party affiliation," he added, in an apparent reference to controversial remarks by the US president which sparked a backlash from the American Jewish community.

Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House on Wednesday that by voting for a Democrat, Jews were "being disloyal to the Jewish people and very disloyal to Israel."

The remarks doubled-down on comments made the previous day asserting that "any Jewish person who would vote for a Democrat ... shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty."

His comments, which drew fierce rebuke from Jewish groups, came amid his ongoing dispute with Muslim congresswomen Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), both of whom support a boycott of the Jewish state for its treatment of the Palestinians.

Last week, Israel barred Omar and Tlaib from the entry on the grounds that they supported the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, and after Trump urged the Jewish state to block the two from entering the country (Tlaib was later granted permission on a humanitarian basis to visit her grandmother, but refused).

This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

The post President Rivlin: Israel-US relationship must not be partisan appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The move infuriated Democrats and risked turning Israel into even more of a partisan issue at a time when Americans are fiercely divided and Trump faces a tough fight for re-election.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

And yet the pursuit of such allegedly short-sighted policies has kept Netanyahu and his Likud party in power for more than a decade, making him the longest-serving leader in Israel's history. The latest move, popular among his right-wing base, comes as he seeks an unprecedented fourth term in next month's elections.

Israel's steady, two-decade lurch to the Right shows no sign of reversing. Its refusal to accede to international demands for concessions to the Palestinians has not only brought any serious consequences from Washington but is now being rewarded and encouraged by the White House.

"Since Likud came to power in 1977, Israel has lived with dire warnings about the growing rift between American and Israeli Jews, or about the contradiction between Israel's claims to be a democracy and its undemocratic rule over more than one million Palestinians," said Nathan Thrall, the head of the Arab-Israeli Project at the Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank. "The sky has not yet fallen."

Last week Netanyahu barred the entry of Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), newly-elected Muslim congresswomen who have been fierce critics of Trump and of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Netanyahu said that the two were banned over their support of the international boycott movement, but Israel had said as recently as last month that all members of Congress would be welcome.

Instead, the decision seems to have been made in response to Trump, who has sought to make the left-wing congresswomen the face of the Democratic Party as he seeks to fire up his base ahead of the 2020 elections. Trump said he spoke to "people over there" about the visit, without elaborating, and tweeted that it would be a "show of weakness" for Israel to let them in.

In the wake of the decision, Israeli commentators and analysts said Netanyahu had blatantly disregarded a bedrock principle of Israeli foreign policy – that it remains above America's partisan fray.

Netanyahu's critics issued similar laments a decade ago when he dismissed calls from a popular and newly elected President Barack Obama to freeze the growth of settlements in the West Bank in order to relaunch peace talks with the Palestinians. Netanyahu had a notoriously prickly relationship with President Barack Obama and was widely seen as siding with Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 US elections, allegations the prime minister denied. In 2015, Netanyahu drew fire after addressing a joint session of Congress to argue against Obama's nuclear deal with Iran – an extraordinary breach of US protocol.

But Israel suffered few if any consequences. Obama signed the largest military aid deal ever concluded with Israel – or any other country – in his last year in office. The Obama administration also largely shielded Israel from criticism at the UN and other international bodies, even as the peace process went nowhere and settlements continually expanded.

Under Trump, things have only gotten better for Netanyahu. The US has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and cut aid to the Palestinians – all without calling for a Palestinian state or a suspension of the Judea and Samaria settlement activity.

Those moves proved divisive in the United States – but not in Israel, where polls find that Trump is more popular than in his own country.

The partisan alliance between Trump and Netanyahu is "really dangerous in terms of Israeli national interests," said Gayil Talshir, a political science professor at Hebrew University. "But I don't think the voters in Israel vote on these kinds of issues."

The decision to bar Tlaib and Omar could pay further dividends. Netanyahu has spoken of annexing parts of the Judea and Samaria, something for which US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has expressed support. That would be seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as yet another major blow to any hopes for a two-state solution but could give Netanyahu a boost ahead of next month's elections.

His supporters, meanwhile, say it's the Israeli media that endangers national interests.

"The same media that enlisted to advance President Obama's suicidal peace plans and nuclear agreement, and which cast every one of the historic measures that President Donald Trump took in Israel as dangerous, has now committed itself to a nightmarish depiction of the damage that supposedly has been caused to our relations with the Democratic Party," columnist Eldad Beck wrote Sunday in Israel Hayom daily.

Netanyahu's luck could, however, run out.

He faces a pre-indictment hearing and a series of corruption cases. He has denied any wrongdoing and, like Trump, has accused the media and law enforcement of a witch-hunt. After failing to form a coalition government following April's elections, Netanyahu dissolved parliament, forcing a repeat vote scheduled for Sept. 17.

There's also the possibility that Trump might lose re-election, and that the next US president could be one of the many Democrats who criticized the decision to bar the congresswomen. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also criticized it, but she said that the US relationship with Israel can "withstand" Trump and Netanyahu.

"The decreasing support for Israel among progressives is a very slow-moving and long term threat," Thrall said. "It has not yet translated into any changes in policy or even in proposals by Democrats to change policy... So Israel and Netanyahu don't have much to worry about right now."

The post Netanyahu's partisan streak has paid off, but for how long? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In a statement posted online Saturday, she said that Netanyahu's decision to ban a visit by two Democratic congresswomen was "a welcome sign that I never have to enter any country or place under your authority."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

At the urging of US President Donald Trump, Israel denied entry to Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) last week over their support for the Palestinian-led movement to boycott Israel. The two are outspoken critics of Trump and of Israel.

"I know that Donald Trump, the accidental occupant of the White House, is drawn to successful bullies," Steinem wrote, addressing Netanyahu.

"If you and Trump continue to imitate each other, you will eventually be alone together at the table. I could wish both of you no greater punishment than that."

Israel later granted permission for Tlaib to visit her grandmother in the West Bank, and released a letter signed by Tlaib in which she promised not to advocate boycotts during her visit. Tlaib then declined to come, saying Israel's "oppressive" conditions were designed to humiliate her. Israel accused her of staging a provocation.

Tlaib tweeted that she could not allow Israel to "use my love for my sity to bow down to their oppressive & racist policies."

"Sitty," spelled different ways in English, is an Arabic term of endearment for one's grandmother.

The post Women's rights activist Gloria Steinem: Netanyahu a 'bully' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said "all members should visit Israel if they come with open minds, open eyes and open ears – ready to hear all sides."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

He told JNS that "coming to Israel and seeing it for themselves transforms every member from simply believing that the United States should support Israel to feeling the strong bond the United States has with Israel."

McCarthy led the Republican contingent of a visit to Israel that wrapped up this week, sponsored by the American Israeli Education Foundation (AIEF), a division of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Both Omar and Tlaib rejected the AIEF-sponsored tour.

Despite their known hostility toward the Jewish state, Israel initially permitted Omar and Tlaib to visit the country "out of respect for Congress." However, after it emerged that the two congresswomen's visit would be one-sided and include only meeting with BDS groups, some with ties to terrorist organizations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed course.

"The itinerary of the two Congresswomen reveals that the sole purpose of their visit is to harm Israel and increase incitement against it," he said in a statement.

The pronouncement came shortly after a tweet by US President Donald Trump to deny entry to what he says is a radical element within the Democratic Party.

Members of the Republican delegation said the focus should be on the large majority of moderate Democrats and Republicans who support the Jewish state.

Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.), there for the first time, said the bipartisan visit was more than symbolic, relating that "Democrats and Republicans had a few days to spend time together in Israel, during which we talked with one another about the issues and developed working relationships."

The more radical side of the Democratic Party is "merely a distraction," said Estes, adding that "social media allows them to try to build themselves up with outlandish statements."

Estes also came away impressed with the "entrepreneurial spirit and startup business capabilities," which he has seen in Israel. Israel's water technology "can be used to solve water problems" in his home state of Kansas, he said, "and to solve water problems throughout the world. Israel is the world leader when it comes to this issue."

He also noted that he was moved by touring and seeing "the phenomenal history of all faiths."

As to the fringe element of the Democratic Party, Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.) went further and told JNS that "they are just 2.5% of Congress, and they are simply attention-grabbers. The less time we spend on the loudest voices, the better. The edges will always be unhappy."

McCarthy explained to JNS that since becoming a House Republican leader in 2014, he believes that nothing cements support for Israel like bringing members of Congress to visit Israel's borders with Syria, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as meeting with decision-makers in the region.

'A testament to the people of Israel'

Several members of the Republican delegation to Israel explained how the trip offered new insight into the country and the region.

Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), on his third trip to Israel, told JNS that visiting for the first time as an elected official exposed how the US-Israel relationship is "all about shared values of freedom."

Riggleman, who served in US Air Force intelligence, said he was "blown away by Israel's technology in air defense," going as far to say that "there is no country in the world better than Israel when it comes to air defense, both technologically and operationally. There is expertise in Israel that cannot be found anywhere else in the world."

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), as a first-timer, told JNS that "as a man of faith, the visit has been moving, uplifting and sobering." He said that he expected Israelis to live under a constant sense of threat, with nervousness permeating the society as a result. "But the people in Israel are so joyous," he observed. "It's easy to forget that this is the Middle East. They go about their daily lives with a sense of confidence and security, and are thriving."

He stated that "this is a testament to the people of Israel, and the power of the cornerstone of Jewish strength, enduring faith and beautiful spirit."

Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wisc.) had been to Israel before on business, though told JNS that "coming to Israel as an elected official, I saw shown Israel's unique security situation."

After touring the borders and receiving briefings from political and military officials, the visit, he said, has "reaffirmed the need for the US commitment to Israel's security."

Timmons, who had not been in Israel for 11 years, told JNS that two things struck him later: "When I was here in 2008, the climate felt much more intense; there was a sense that people were focused on their survival. The environment feels more moderate now because of the relative peace."

Despite the goodwill, the Republican House members did say that extremism on both sides of the aisle needs to be tackled.

Steil said "our partners across the aisle need to address some of their issues," with Higgins calling for stronger condemnation of their anti-Israel element.

"There must be public condemnation and consequences for such statements," he said. "They must be censured. How are they still sitting on their committees?"

Riggleman spoke with emotion to JNS as he as he recalled the two-year anniversary of the white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., which is in in his district, noting that anti-Semitism on the Right must also be confronted.

He said based on his background in counterterrorism and intelligence, he knows that people are being radicalized online. "We have the laws to go after them, and we must go after them," he said.

Moving forward, McCarthy assured that the goodwill developed in Israel will remain and bipartisan support of Israel will continue.

"As leader of the Republican Party in the House, I will continue to work with the Democratic leadership to combat BDS, fight against anti-Semitism and to make sure that the loud anti-Israel voices remain a minority in Congress."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Republicans: 'Attention-grabbers' will not hijack bipartisan goodwill from Israel trip appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Citing three people with direct knowledge of the discussions, news and information website Axios reported on Saturday that Trump believes the two lawmakers should be barred from entering Israel based on their outspoken support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter

Trump's view on the matter has possibly reached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but White House officials have been quick to deny that the president has exerted influence or pressure on Netanyahu.

"The Israeli government can do what they want. It's fake news," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Saturday.

A law passed in 2017 allows Israel's Interior Ministry to bar any foreign national entry into the country if they have supported boycotting the Jewish state.

Last month, the two congresswomen announced that they would be taking an official trip to both Israel and the Palestinian territories at the end of August, immediately sparking questions over how Jerusalem will handle the situation.

Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer later clarified the issue by releasing a statement saying: "Out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel."

But according to Axios, Trump has grumbled over Dermer's decision to let controversial lawmakers in, reportedly telling top aides that if Omar and Tlaib want to boycott Israel, "then Israel should boycott them."

Both congresswomen are tentatively due to be in the region on August 18, but their schedules are subject to change. Israeli officials are currently holding talks over how to react to any anti-Israeli statements by Omar and Tlaib during the trip, according to Axios. Regardless, their trip is not expected to overlap with two much larger delegations of US representatives that are currently in the country, organized by the American Israel Education Foundation, a charitable organization affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Trump's reported reaction comes only days after the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved House Resolution 246 opposing BDS, "including efforts to target United States companies that are engaged in commercial activities that are legal under United States law, and all efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel."

Some 350 legislators co-sponsored the resolution, 175 from each party. Ultimately, 398 members supported the resolution, with 17 voting against it, 16 of them from the Democrats – including Tlaib and Omar.

This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

The post Report: Trump wants Israel to bar Omar, Tlaib from entering country appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The letter was in response to a letter signed by a group of U.S. Congress members who had asked him to intervene in the case of Omar Shakir, the regional director of Human Rights Watch and an activist in the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

Shakir was denied an extension of his visa because he was actively engaged in anti-Israel propaganda during his stay in Israel. The Supreme Court recently issued a temporary injunction to prevent Shakir's deportation and will make a final ruling in the coming days.

Netanyahu said that he was not going to heed the lawmakers' request because Shakir had shown "active support for anti-Israel boycotts."

Netanyahu further stressed that Shakir had failed to demonstrate that he was not using his stay in Israel for propaganda purposes as part of the BDS movement against Israel.

He added that he was "surprised" that two of the lawmakers who joined the request, referring to Tlaib and Omar,  were "two BDS supporters." Omar and Tlaib have come under fire in recent months after making controversial remarks against Israel's actions and even calling for punishing the Jewish state. Omar has recently become embroiled in controversy after some of her tweets were deemed anti-Semitic.

Netanyahu did not mention the two by name but made it obvious that he was referring to them.

Netanyahu further wrote: "The existence of a strong and vibrant civil society is a fundamental component of any healthy democracy. We are proud of the fact that thousands of nongovernmental organizations … operate in Israel uninterruptedly, exercising their right to freedom of speech. Our concern, however, is with those organizations and/or individuals that under the banner of justice and human rights actively work to delegitimize the State of Israel and negate its very right to exist."

The post PM rebukes Omar, Tlaib after they request help for BDS activist appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.