Pence rips Democrats on anti-Semitism

WASHINGTON -- Speaking to thousands of U.S. supporters of Israel, Vice President Mike Pence took aim Monday at Democratic critics of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Pence's remarks in Washington at the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee were a direct partisan rebuke of Democrats at the most important gathering of politically active American Jews and their allies.

The vice president on Monday contended that the Democratic Party "has been co-opted by people who promote rank anti-Semitic rhetoric and work to undermine the broad American consensus of support for Israel."

Pence also called for a freshman lawmaker recently accused of anti-Semitism to be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. While Pence did not mention Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., by name, he described comments she had made that prompted accusations of what Pence called trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes.

In a 2012 tweet, Omar accused Israel of having "hypnotized the world." This year, in response to a journalist asking why U.S. lawmakers would defend Israel "even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans," Omar suggested in a tweet that those lawmakers were motivated primarily by campaign contributions, citing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Omar has since deleted both tweets and apologized.

Earlier this month, the House passed an anti-hate resolution after Omar suggested that support for Israel could amount to "allegiance to a foreign country."

"Anti-Semitism has no place in the Congress of the United States of America," Pence said, putting the conference crowd on its feet. "And anyone who slanders those who support this historic alliance between the United States and Israel should never have a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives."

Republicans have reacted sharply to Omar's remarks, seeking to use her comments to find support among pro-Israel voters.

Trump has called Democrats "anti-Jewish" and supported calls for Jewish voters to stop supporting the Democratic Party.

Democrats have replied by accusing Republicans of politicizing the U.S.-Israel relations for partisan advantage.

Speaking at the conference Sunday evening, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said he supported Israel "proudly and unapologetically" and that a "large, bipartisan coalition in Congress" continues to strongly support Israel.

Pence, a Republican who served in the House from 2001-2013, told the crowd Monday that that was no longer the case.

"There was a time when support for Israel was not a partisan issue in Congress," he said, later adding: "How things have changed."

He went on to criticize Democratic presidential candidates for "boycotting" the conference. While some left-wing groups have encouraged candidates not to attend in protest of the group's support of the current right-wing Israeli government, presidential candidates typically are not invited to speak in nonelection years, according to an official for the group.

Still, several campaigns have confirmed that they will not attend, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said last week that his decision was rooted in politics.

Pence argued that any presidential candidate "should not be afraid to stand with the strongest supporters of Israel in America."

"It is wrong to boycott Israel and it is wrong to boycott AIPAC," Pence added.

A Section on 03/26/2019

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