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NowThis Claims Mattis Critiqued Israel The Same Way Omar Did — Here’s What They Left Out

Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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NowThis News compared former Defense Secretary James Mattis and Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and their comments on Israel — but they left out a few key points.

WATCH:

What Mattis said on July 20, 2013:

The current situation [between Israel and Palestine] is unsustainable. It’s got to be directly addressed. We don’t want to turn this over to our children — this thing that we have lived with our entire adult lives. We have got to find a way to make the two-state solution that Democrat and Republican administrations have supported. We’ve got to get there.

Mattis went on to say that the window of opportunity was growing smaller and that Israeli settlements complicated matters considerably, and argued that then-Secretary of State John Kerry was going about working for a two-state solution in the right way.

After facing backlash for her own comments, Omar claimed that her intent was to criticize the policies that the U.S. has embraced with regard to Israel and Palestine, and that she never intended to offend anyone. (RELATED: Omar Has Gotten In Hot Water With Frequent Comments About Israel)

But the comparison breaks down when one also considers the things that Mattis did not say when offering his own criticism of U.S. involvement in the region.

What Mattis did not say:

  • “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. #Gaza #Palestine#Israel” — Omar, November 12, 2012
  • “It’s all about the Benjamins baby ????” with regard to pro-Israeli group AIPAC, suggesting they buy the support of members of Congress. — Omar, February 10, 2019
  • “I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee.” — Omar, March 3, 2019

Mattis has also never agreed to fundraise for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group that has been linked to Palestinian terror group Hamas. Omar is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for CAIR later this month.

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