Another big-name Democrat has criticized Ilhan Omar’s controversial remarks about Israel that have spurred allegations of anti-Semitism.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel slammed Rep. Omar, D-Minn., accusing her of “crossing a line that should not be crossed” in a piece published in the Atlantic on Thursday. The criticism further highlights the growing divide in the Democratic Party on how to deal with Omar’s comments.
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“Her remarks are not anti-Israel; they are anti-Semitic,” Emanuel, who is Jewish, wrote for the magazine.
“Whether consciously or not, Representative Omar is repeating some of the ugliest stereotypes about Jews—tropes that have been unleashed by anti-Semites throughout history. She is casting Jewish Americans as the other, suggesting a dual loyalty that calls our devotion to America into question.”
“For centuries, this trope has been aimed at Jews in countries around the world. In embracing it, Omar is associating herself with calamities from the Spanish Inquisition to the Russian pogroms to the Holocaust. That’s not historical company that any American should want to keep.”
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Emanuel also wrote about times when he has faced the “charge of dual-allegiance” during his political career, before closing the piece on a hopeful note.
“I often say that only in America could the son and grandson of immigrants become the chief of staff to the president and mayor of one of its largest cities. I fully expect Muslim Americans to follow this well-trod path,” it reads.
ILHAN OMAR 'KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SHE IS DOING' WITH COMMENTS DEEMED ANTI-SEMITIC, AUTHOR SAYS
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks during an interview at City Hall in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. June 14, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Lott - RC15FA4CCE00
“No doubt, such candidates will have to overcome allegations of dual-loyalty and of taking campaign contributions from fellow-Muslims with nefarious goals in mind. And when they do, Jewish Americans like me will come to their defense—because we know the pain and potential damage of these bigoted stereotypes. It’s time for Omar to learn that lesson.”
The Chicago mayor’s piece was published after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was "taken aback" by the growing dissent and anger among rank-and-file Democrats over a possible resolution to formally condemn anti-Semitism, a Democratic source told Fox News on Wednesday.
Pelosi even reportedly walked out of a meeting Wednesday with Democrat House members, setting down her microphone and telling attendees, “Well if you're not going to listen to me, I’m done talking."
The stalled resolution originated after Omar, for at least the second time in recent months, ignited an uproar for echoing tropes critics have deemed anti-Semitic.
In February, she suggested on Twitter that supporters of Israel have been bought. The congresswoman then accused American supporters of Israel of pushing people to have “allegiance to a foreign country.”
Omar -- who also tweeted in 2012 that "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel" -- refused to address questions on Wednesday about accusations that she’s anti-Semitic.
A frustrated senior House Democratic aide told Fox News on Tuesday: "Here we are again, fighting with ourselves. I've spent another week dealing with this and not on policy."
A vote on the resolution, which was originally planned for earlier this week, did not appear on the House's official docket for Thursday.
Fox News' Gregg Re contributed to this report.
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