Radical left-wing Jewish group takes credit for derailing resolution against anti-Semitism

IfNotNow, a radical left-wing Jewish group, claimed it had a part in stopped a Democratic-party resolution against anti-Semitism.

By World Israel News Staff

IfNotNow took credit for the indefinite postponement of a Democratic Party-backed resolution against anti-Semitism, on Thursday.

An email which The Jewish Press says it received Thursday morning from IfNotNow proclaimed: “We just got word about an exciting victory: our voices were heard — House Democratic leaders indefinitely delayed the vote on the resolution against Representative Ilhan Omar.”

House Democrats on Wednesday postponed a vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism after a contentious meeting in which some new members confronted leaders over their push to rebuke Omar.

“The session quickly became rancorous, reflecting splinters over wider issues such as America’s long-standing support for Israel, the appropriate response to racial and religious grievances, and a new generation’s reliance on social media,” the Washington Post reported, adding that “plans for a quick vote appeared to fade amid the uproar.”

“This is huge,” IfNotNow wrote, as reported by The Jewish Press. “Yet again, we fought against unfair accusations of anti-Semitism hurled at Representative Ilhan Omar, and this time we’re winning. Within hours, we mobilized thousands to sign our petition calling on Democratic leadership to condemn white nationalism, not Ilhan, and they listened,” it said.

The group also writes in its email: “We’re witnessing a tidal shift in our country’s politics. For too long, criticism of Israel and the occupation have been labeled as anti-Semitic, silencing real debate. This victory shows that the status quo is changing.

“With Democratic leaders like Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders condemning the [proposed] resolution, it’s clear that grassroots movements are shifting what’s possible in the halls of power,” said IfNotNow.

Sanders wrote on Facebook: “Anti-Semitism is a hateful and dangerous ideology which must be vigorously opposed in the United States and around the world. We must not, however, equate anti-Semitism with legitimate criticism of the right-wing, Netanyahu government in Israel,” he said, adding that “what I fear is going on in the House now is an effort to target Congresswoman Omar as a way of stifling that debate. That’s wrong.”

Harris wrote on social media: “We all have a responsibility to speak out against anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism, and all forms of hatred and bigotry, especially as we see a spike in hate crimes in America…I also believe there is a difference between criticism of policy or political leaders and anti-Semitism.”

Both Sanders and Harris are running for president in the 2020 election. The Huffington Post reports that another Democratic presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren, has also come out in support of Omar, “reflect[ing] a sharp shift in the debate,” said the news and opinion website.

IfNotNow describes its mission on its website as “working to transform the American Jewish community’s support for occupation into a call for freedom and dignity for all. Its activities include protests and sit-ins and last year made headlines for hijacking Birthright trips to stage political theater.