A Jewish organization is criticizing Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and The New York Times for promoting the notion that Jesus was Palestinian.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center reacted angrily to Omar’s retweet on April 20 of a professor at Southern Methodist University.
‘I was once asked by a relative who is a Palestinian Christian why the Christian right in America largely supports their oppression,’ tweeted Omar Suleiman, an adjunct professor for Islamic Studies.
‘Don’t they know we’re Christians too? Do they even consider us human?
‘Don’t they know Jesus was a Palestinian?’
Suleiman was referring to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, which it captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.
House Rep. Ilhan Omar (left), the Democrat from Minnesota, was criticized by Rabbi Abraham Cooper (right) of the Simon Wiesenthal Center
Omar retweeted a Twitter post by a professor, Omar Suleiman of Southern Methodist University, who suggested that 'Jesus was a Palestinian'
Cooper also took issue with an op-ed in the Times written by Eric V. Copage.
The op-ed, which was printed on Good Friday, bore the headline: ‘As a Black Child in Los Angeles, I Couldn’t Understand Why Jesus Had Blue Eyes.’
The passage by Copage which angered Cooper read: ‘As I grew older, I learned that the fair-skinned, blue-eyed depiction of Jesus has for centuries adorned stained glass windows and altars in churches throughout the United States and Europe.
‘But Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was most likely a Palestinian man with dark skin.’
Cooper slammed Omar and the Times, telling the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles that it was a ‘grotesque insult to Jesus born in the land of Israel and to Christianity’ to suggest that he was a Palestinian.
‘Palestine was a name made up by Romans after they crucified thousands, destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and exiled the People of Israel from their homeland,’ Cooper said.
Just three months after she was sworn in as one of two freshman Muslim congresswomen, Omar has been a lightning rod of controversy for comments deemed by some to be anti-Semitic.
Last week, it was learned that two Democrats refused to accept donations from Omar because of her controversial remarks about Israel.
Dan McCready, who is running for the vacant House seat from North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District, confirmed on Twitter that he returned a $2,000 donation to Omar on March 30.
Just three months after she was sworn in, Omar has been a lightning rod of controversy for comments deemed by some to be anti-Semitic. The tweet above from February was interpreted by some as saying moneyed Jews were behind U.S. support for Israel
Omar made the donation to McCready on November 6, according to WSOC-TV.
McCready tweeted: ‘Some folks are asking why I directed the return of Rep. Omar’s donation.
‘I did this weeks ago because I vigorously disagree with any anti-semitic comments.
‘Since this time, dangerous and hateful attacks have started against her.
‘I condemn in the strongest terms the hateful rhetoric against her, the Muslim community and people of color.
‘Too many have been hurt by our broken politics.
‘We must end hate speech against all people and groups.’
McCready is running in a special election later this year for the vacant seat.
In November, he ran and lost to Republican Mark Harris, but state officials refused to certify the result because of massive voter fraud.
Last week, it was learned that House Rep. Lucy McBath (left) of Georgia and Dan McCready (right), who is running for the vacant House seat from North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District, returned donations made to their campaigns by Omar
Another Democrat, House Rep Lucy McBath of Georgia, also refused to accept a $2,000
