Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar compared the anti-Israel boycott to the Boston Tea Party while speaking during a House Foreign Affairs Committee markup on Wednesday.
Omar argued that the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction movement, which is meant to put pressure on the Israeli government to improve the treatment of the Palestinians, is nonviolent and therefore should be a means of protest the U.S. government supports.
“We should condemn in the strongest terms violence that perpetuates the occupation whether it is perpetuated either by Israel, Hamas, or individuals,” Omar stated. “But if we are going to condemn violent means of resisting the occupation, we cannot also condemn non-violent means. We cannot simultaneously say we want peace then openly oppose peaceful means to hold our allies accountable.”
She went on to explain that she introduced H.R. 496, which is meant to reaffirm people’s rights to participate in boycotts pursuant to their First Amendment rights. The resolution is co-sponsored by fellow Democratic Reps. John Lewis of Georgia and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
“It recognizes the proud history of boycott movements in this country dating back to the Boston Tea Party. We should honor these movements and that history,” she continued.
The text of resolution makes the same comparison, saying, “Boycotts have been effectively used in the United States by advocates for equal rights since the Boston Tea Party.”
