Let’s speak out against Omar and Tlaib’s blocked trip to Israel

By SJ Otto

We all know who President Donald Trump likes to support, his allies, including Israel. Trump is an authoritarian kind of leader and he likes other authoritarian leaders, such as himself, and such as Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korean leader Kim Jong-un (김정은). Although he hates socialism, he seems to like such authoritarian leaders. The only thing they have in common is there love of political power.

So it is not surprising that he encouraged Benjamin Netanyahu (בִּנְיָמִין נְתַנְיָהוּ) to block Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib’s visits to Israel this weekend. We have to wonder what is the worst that can happen? Well they might visit the

“Impact of Israeli settlements on Bedouins in east Jerusalem, a U.N. briefing on the effects of U.S. humanitarian aid cuts, hold a video conference with Gaza youth and tour the West Bank city of Hebron with Israeli military veterans.”

And despite what the Israeli officials claimed:

“U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota disputes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's claim that she and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan didn't ask to meet with Israeli government or opposition officials before he barred them from visiting Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank next week.”

So a country that claims to be “westernized” which ordinarily would include supporting freedom of speech and the freedom to travel is just not what we are seeing here. We are seeing the kind of authoritarian rule we expect from an authoritarian, near fascist ruler such as Netanyahu.

We all need to speck out against this gross injustice.

Pix from We'll keep fighting for the Palestinian people | SocialistWorker.org.