Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar’s botched Israel trip was sponsored by terror-linked organization

By Jason Hopkins

Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar’s cancelled trip to Israel was sponsored by a Palestinian-based organization whose members have expressed sympathy for terrorist activities and support the BDS movement.

The Israeli government announced Thursday it would not allow Tlaib, D-Mich., and Omar, D-Minn., to enter its borders for a planned trip into Palestinian territory, citing the two lawmakers’ support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Under Israeli law, anyone who supports the boycott of Israel may be banned from the country.

“The decision has been made, the decision is not to allow them to enter,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said to Israel’s Reshet Radio Thursday.

Tlaib had been planning the congressional delegation since at least December 2018, according to an invitation sent to other U.S. lawmakers that year. The trip to the West Bank and Jerusalem was intended to last from Aug. 17 to 22, and act as an alternative to the AIPAC-led delegations for lawmakers who are friendlier to Israel.

The trip was sponsored by the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, better known as MIFTAH.

Despite billing itself as a peaceful organization dedicated to promoting Palestine’s democratic institutions, MIFTAH for years has carried notable ties to terrorist sympathizers, has openly accused Israel of atrocities, and supports the boycott of Israeli products.

Hanan Ashrawi, the founder and chair of the MIFTAH board of directors, brushed off Palestinian terrorist attacks during a January 2017 interview by saying they are “seen by the people as resistance. And you cannot somehow adopt the language of either the international community or the occupier by describing anybody who resists as terrorists.”

MIFTAH’s own website describes Wafa Idrees, a female suicide bomber, as one of a few young women who chose to “join the ranks of the resistance movement.” Idrees detonated herself in January 2002, killing an 81-year-old and wounding another 150 Israelis.

MIFTAH was forced to retract and apologize in 2013 for an article published on its website that accused the Jewish people of using “the blood of Christians in the Jewish Passover.” The Ramallah-based organization had originally defended the writing, but reversed course amid massive outcry.

The Palestinian group holds membership with the Aman Coalition, which has accused Israel of “stealing” and having “racist goals,” according to the NGO Monitor. MIFTAH is also a member of the Palestinian NGO Network, which has refused to add its signature to the anti-terror clause, a condition for U.S. government funding.

These details were not lost on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“[T]he itinerary of the two Congresswomen reveals that the sole purpose of their visit is to harm Israel and increase incitement against it,” the prime minister wrote in a statement published Thursday. “In addition, the organization that is funding their trip is MIFTAH, which is an avid supporter of BDS, and among whose members are those who have expressed support for terrorism against Israel.”

“Therefore, the minister of interior has decided not to allow their visit, and I, as prime minister, support his decision,” Netanyahu continued.

Sponsorship of Omar and Tlaib’s now-botched trip was not the first for MIFTAH. The organization sponsored a trip for a group of Democratic lawmakers in 2016, where they met with an alleged member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a terrorist organization.

MIFTAH did not respond to a request for comment regarding this article, nor did spokesmen for Tlaib’s and Omar’s offices.

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Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Lorie Shaull

5 thoughts on “Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar’s botched Israel trip was sponsored by terror-linked organization

  1. Bibi bops the two mooslime boobs.. They listed a non country, palistine as the destination of their jaunt and they got a non trip to no where (same if they had gone to the non country palistine). Their intent was to promote BDS for the terrorist supporting group miftah and Israel knows terrorist and isn’t afraid to hurt their feelinz…I wish he’d have let them in then arrested them for incitement. What would the butt hurt squad do without their anti Semites??? They wouldn’t be a squad anymore only a drooling duo.

  2. The 2 click boom jihadies could have gone with the rest of the demoncrap vacationers on our dime 2 weeks ago but they would have had a hard time spreading their Jew hate to the Israel internal traitors.
    They thought it was cutesy to put their destination as palistine, the non country for the non people who love terrorism. Bibi knew exactly what their intention was and did the exact correct thing how ever I wish he would have let them in then jailed them for sedition and sent them to the firing squad for their just punishment. These two terrorist supporters trip was paid by terrorist to support terrorist.

  3. They should have been allowed to go – and been prevented from returning due to associating with terrorists.

  4. If it wasn’t for our constitution, these two liberals would be thrown out of this country. In any of the middle eastern countries, they wouldn’t have the protection that they have here to spew there rhetoric crap..

  5. Good, Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn’t need these two Israel Hatting fools in his
    country.

    These two political hacks may get away with it in the US, with all hatred they spew but
    the PM is having no part of it.

    Watch these two now cry foul, oh too bad. I guess they’ll blame Trump also !!

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