Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) backtracked on her blame of Israel for a hospital strike in Gaza, after further evidence suggested that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had nothing to do with the explosion, and it was caused by a misfired rocket fired from a Palestinian militant group.
Watch – Media Repeat Hamas Propaganda on Hospital Blast; Israel Shows Evidence Terrorist Rocket Responsible
Joel B. Pollak / Breitbart NewsOmar had initially accused the IDF of war crimes, posting on X, “Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific.”
WATCH — CNN’s Gotkine: Media Coverage Blaming Israel Means It Won’t Matter if Israel Proves Its Innocence in Hospital Blast:
She called on President Joe Biden to push for an “immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”
However, after evidence emerged suggesting a misfired rocket, and after Biden himself suggested it was not the fault of the IDF, Omar walked back her accusation.
“Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel,” she posted:
Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 19, 2023
Omar did not apologize for accusing Israel, but called for a “fully independent” investigation to determine “conclusively” who did it.
“It is critical that we have a fully independent investigation to determine conclusively who is responsible for this war crime,” she posted:
It is critical that we have a fully independent investigation to determine conclusively who is responsible for this war crime. https://t.co/8d7E3cLtk3
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 19, 2023
Meanwhile, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), another member of the “Squad” who blamed Israel for striking the hospital, did not appear to be backtracking.
She posted:
Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that.
@POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.
Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) October 17, 2023
Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many… https://t.co/mZYoifT7bj
Tlaib spoke to anti-Israel protesters at the Capitol on Wednesday, accusing Israel of “oppression” and “human rights violations”:
.@RashidaTlaib's speech from the mass gathering of Jews and allies for ceasefire in DC today. [2/2] pic.twitter.com/6PvzBeu0R6
— IfNotNow🔥 (@IfNotNowOrg) October 18, 2023
After Omar and Tlaib’s posts, former New York Republican Assemblyman Dov Hikind and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman called on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to launch an ethics inquiry into Omar and Tlaib’s posts, as Breitbart News reported.
WATCH — NBC’s Bash: Media Caused an Anti-Israel Fervor by Taking the Word of Terrorists at Face Value:
“Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and any other member of Congress who promoted this nasty blood libel crossed all lines and exposed their truest intention which is not support for Palestinians but to harm and enfeeble Israel,” they wrote in a statement.
“Hakeem has an opportunity to prove to American Jewry that the Democrats are not the anti-Israel/pro-Hamas party their loudest representatives make them out to be! The ball is in his court,” they said.
Follow Breitbart News’s Kristina Wong on ”X”, Truth Social, or on Facebook.