Ilhan Omar, a Democratic representative of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, has recently criticized the United States policy toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She accused the United States of providing billions of dollars of aid to the country while Netanyahu, whom she called a “far-right extremist,” continues to violate international law and human rights.
Omar cited the International Criminal Court’s recent announcement that they would be launching a formal investigation into potential war crimes by Israeli authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as one example of why she believes the US policy does not “add up.” The ICC investigation is largely due to the lack of action taken by other international institutions, such as the United Nations, to hold Netanyahu accountable for these potential crimes.
Omar believes that providing aid to a Prime Minister who has been repeatedly accused of human rights violations is counter-productive to the United States’ foreign policy agenda. She further argued that it gives the country a bad reputation abroad and shows a lack of respect for international law. Indeed, many global institutions have called for sanctions or other measures to be taken against Netanyahu and his government on multiple occasions, including from the European Union, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch.
Omar’s criticism has sparked a largely divided reaction. Some support the Congresswoman’s statements and believe the US should limit its involvement with Israeli leaders that violate global standards. However, others believe that Omar is wrong, both in her criticism of US policy towards Israel and toward Netanyahu specifically. They argue that the US historically has and should continue to support Israel and its leaders.
Ultimately, Omar’s public criticism of US policy towards Netanyahu highlights the complex and often conflicting perspectives held by Western governments and activist organizations over the Israeli Prime Minister. It will also be important to monitor how the international community responds to the ICC’s formal investigation and their findings. Hopefully, such an inquiry will help restore justice and the rule of law to the millions of people in the Palestinian territories that remain under Netanyahu’s control.