Ocasio-Cortez defends Omar amid criticism from fellow Dem

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) late Monday pushed back after a fellow Democratic representative called it “unacceptable” to question support for the U.S.-Israel relationship in the wake of the latest controversial comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

Ocasio-Cortez responded to Rep. Juan Vargas after the California Democrat criticized Omar, who has been accused of using anti-Semitic language in recent tweets and comments questioning U.S. support for Israel.

{mosads}”I‘m curious if Rep. Vargas will further explain his stance here that it’s unacceptable to even *question* US foreign policy,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Plenty of Dem members have asserted that discussion + debate on this issue is fair and merited. Is this stance a departure from that?”

I‘m curious if Rep. Vargas will further explain his stance here that it’s unacceptable to even *question* US foreign policy.

Plenty of Dem members have asserted that discussion + debate on this issue is fair and merited. Is this stance a departure from that? https://t.co/2tcelsxFCU

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 4, 2019

The freshman congresswoman noted that there was a time when it was unacceptable to question the Iraq War, though she later noted she meant the war in Afghanistan.

“All of Congress was wrong, including both GOP & Dem Party, and led my generation into a disastrous + wrong war that virtually all would come to regret, except for the one member who stood up: Barbara Lee,” Ocasio-Cortez added.

Afghanistan War* my apologies

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 4, 2019

Omar, who last month was widely criticized for suggesting U.S. lawmakers supported Israel because of money from a pro-Israel lobbying group, reignited controversy when she said at a Washington bookstore forum last week that pro-Israel advocates are pushing “allegiance to a foreign country.”

The latest comments prompted outcry from members of both parties. 

The House will vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in response to her comments, though it does not specifically mention Omar.