Activist Ariel Gold expressed support for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) while visiting Rep. Rashida Tlaib's (D., Mich.) office on Wednesday. Gold serves as national co-director of progressive group Code Pink and supports the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
"Today in .@RashidaTlaib office #IStandWithIhan," Gold tweeted.
She deleted the tweet, saying she "came across them" and people on Twitter "got the wrong idea" about it. The tweet was saved via screenshot by reporter Hen Mazzig.
The internet is forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cCniblK7Ax
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) March 7, 2019
Omar is under fire after an event in Washington, D.C. last week, during which she said she wanted "to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country." The comments were the latest in a string of controversial remarks about Israel and those who support its right to exist.
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel (D., NY) called it "unacceptable and deeply offensive to call into question the loyalty of fellow Americana citizens because of their political views, including support for the U.S.-Israel relationship" and chastised Omar for "invoking a vile anti-Semitic slur."
Omar has not apologized for her comments. Instead, she defended her remarks by tweeting on Sunday that she "should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee." Many pointed out her defense, conflating support for Israel with allegiance to a foreign country, is itself an old, anti-Semitic dual loyalty smear.
In a veiled response to Omar's widely-condemned remarks, House Democrats originally planned to bring forward a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. It is now unclear, however, if and when House Democrats decide to vote on that resolution.
Tlaib came to Omar's defense earlier this week, saying she "is being targeted just like many civil rights icons before us who spoke out about oppressive policies." She suggested in January that pro-Israel senators "forgot which country they represent" during a debate over anti-BDS legislation. Both Tlaib and Omar have expressed support for the BDS movement.
Gold has similarly expressed support for the anti-Israel movement, tweeting in January that "[a]s long as Israel kills Palestinians & maintains system of apartheid we will protest & #BDS."
Also on Wednesday, Gold interrupted a Middle Eastern Women's Coalition event, shouting, "Jews stand with Ilhan Omar!"
BREAKING: @ArielElyseGold just disrupted pro-Israel Middle Eastern Women’s Coalition’s event. 'Jews stand with @IlhanMN," she shouted. We all must raise our voices for Ilhan and for Palestine! #StandWithIlhan pic.twitter.com/JqoWtO6OEJ
— CODEPINK (@codepink) March 6, 2019
Later in the evening, Tlaib took to social media to clarify that she was not aware Gold was in her office.
According to my staff, they came into my office unannounced, took a photograph and left. I was in committee during this. They had no scheduled meeting, nor did they meet with my staff. https://t.co/o2YR788T2y
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) March 7, 2019
Updated Mar. 7 9:57 a.m.: This post was updated with Gold's explanation for deleting the tweet. Before, the post was updated with Tlaib's tweet.