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Trump uses Israel as his latest excuse for spewing racist bile

Trump exposes the US's deep hypocrisy with his latest move against Iran.


On 14 July, Donald Trump launched a Twitter rant, telling progressive US congresswomen from minority communities to “go back” to their home countries (they are all US citizens, and only one was born abroad). But far from apologising, he doubled down; and he tried to use Israel as an excuse for his racist comments.

‘Apologise to Israel’

One of Trump’s targets, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, called Trump’s tweets “outright racism”. And she explained:

the President’s words [yesterday], telling four American Congresswomen of color “go back to your own country,” is hallmark language of white supremacists.

But rather than distancing himself from his words, Trump tried to use Israel to defend himself, claiming those he attacked “hate Israel with a true and unbridled passion”. He continued:

They talk about Israel like they’re a bunch of thugs, not victims of the entire region.

He also argued that:

they have made Israel feel abandoned by the U.S.

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And he asked them to:

apologize to our Country, the people of Israel and even to the Office of the President

All of the women of colour whom Trump targeted in his tweets recently backed the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. This sought to “block funding for the military detention of children in any country, including Israel”. These politicians have also consistently criticised the Israeli occupation, in stark contrast with Trump’s shamelessly pro-Israel stance.

Trump’s complicity with the Israeli occupation

Since becoming US president, Trump has controversially recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. He’s moved the US embassy there. And he’s sparked outrage around the world for doing so.

Trump has also called for official recognition of Israel’s authority over stolen Syrian land. And he has formed a close relationship with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu; the man who oversaw Israel’s war crimes during its 2014 attack on Gaza (the one that reportedly killed at least 1,483 Palestinian civilians).

All of that is despite the US being fully aware of Israel’s crimes. Since 2000, for example, Israeli armed forces or settlers have reportedly killed over 2,000 Palestinian children.

The women Trump targeted in his Twitter rant, on the other hand, have been outspoken critics of the Israeli occupation. Rashida Tlaib – the first Palestinian-American woman ever to enter the US House of Representatives – has openly opposed the current Israeli government’s “apartheid policies”. Ilhan Omar, meanwhile, proudly supports the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. She has also faced consistent smears (and attacks from Trump) for her pro-Palestinian stance, responding:

Be more American… by apologising to this specific foreign country

Many Twitter users were quick to call Trump out for playing the Israel card:

Trump’s racist attack was transparent – as was his summoning of Israel to try and justify it. He wants to shout down progressive, pro-Palestinian voices. And that means firing up his base to troll them – using all the racist dogwhistles in his toolkit to do so.

Fascism is here – and Trump is its global cheerleader. It’s the duty of all progressives everywhere to mobilise against them.

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons/US Embassy Tel Aviv

 

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  • Show Comments

    2. Apartheid Israel is a terrorist regime. They are attacking a MILITARYLESS population. Critism of apartheid Israel is NOT anti-Semitic.. supporting apartheid Israel IS anti-Semitic because it shames ALL those killed in the hollocaust by supporting the new Nazis apartheid Israel. Trump not only arms and funds apartheid Israels war crimes he incites Islamaphobia and CHILD MURDER

      UNICEF – from July 7th to the 26th of August 2015 apartheid Israel DELIBERATELY MURDERED 506 CHILDREN

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    3. I didn’t actually see any language by these ladies that could be described:
      “If Democrats want to unite around the foul language & racist hatred spewed from the mouths and actions of these very unpopular & unrepresentative Congresswomen, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. I can tell you that they have made Israel feel abandoned by the U.S.”
      Poor Israel, how will they recover from such disappointment?!!

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