One Can Only Hope

Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) remarks could lead one to believe she hates Jews. Not only that, she is not shy about letting everyone know it: “Its all about the Benjamins baby.”

Omar may also lead one to believe she hates Israel: “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel”.

In addition to those remarks she sponsored a resolution in Congress with a thinly veiled and surreptitious attempt to garner support for BDS. Her activities and pronouncements could lead one to believe that she is a one-woman hate factory.

Unfortunately, she has yet to be castigated by name by her party’s leadership for those offensive remarks. In spite of Omar’s support of BDS, the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, graciously will allow Omar and like-minded colleague, Rashida Tlaib, to enter the country in the hopes of opening their eyes and minds to the reality of the only democracy in the Middle East.

The national anthem of Israel is Hatikva. It means ‘The Hope’. It is the attribute that gives us the ability to face the challenges that confront us no matter how daunting they may be. Hopefully, their visit is not one where they sit comfortably ensconced in their limousine peering through smoked windows but instead step out and trod along the ancient stones of a millennia of history and listen to their story. Granted, this is a visit born on the wings of hope with the belief that their misguided views of the country and its people will change thus enabling them to see the Jewish homeland through the prism of reality.

One can only hope.