Ilhan Omar seizes spotlight to push pro-BDS resolution

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks about Trump administration policies towards Muslim immigrants and her own immigrant background at a news conference by members of the U.S. Congress "to announce legislation to repeal President Trumpís existing executive order blocking travel from majority Muslim countries" outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Bourg - RC1BC6C8A7F0

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks about Trump administration policies towards Muslim immigrants and her own immigrant background at a news conference by members of the U.S. Congress “to announce legislation to repeal President Trumpís existing executive order blocking travel from majority Muslim countries” outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Bourg – RC1BC6C8A7F0

House Democrats today rallied around a resolution to condemn President Donald Trump’s racist tweets against four high-profile freshmen congresswomen.

But at least one of those congresswomen — Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — is about to drop her own resolution that may not go over so well with Democratic leadership. Her resolution would defend the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

“We are introducing a resolution … to really speak about the American values that support and believe in our ability to exercise our first amendment rights in regard to boycotting,” Omar told Al-Monitor. “And it is an opportunity for us to explain why it is we support a nonviolent movement, which is the BDS movement.”

The Minnesota Democrat noted she intends to introduce the bill early this week. At the same time, Democratic leadership plans to advance another nonbinding resolution condemning the BDS movement on Wednesday.

Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/07/ilham-omar-pro-bds-legislation-trump-israel.html#ixzz5ttpioZMX