Qatar funded Ilhan Omar’s World Cup journey.
‘Squad’ member has a history of making anti-Semitic comments about Israeli lobbyists
Ilhan Omar (Getty Images)
Representative Ilhan Omar, a member of the “Squad” known for her controversial remarks about American support for Israel, recently attended the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This trip was funded by Qatar, the oil-rich Gulf nation that supports the terrorist group Hamas.
During her stay from November 19-23, the Qatari government covered Omar’s lodging and food expenses, as stated in her financial disclosures. She had the opportunity to meet with Qatari officials and even shared a photo from a World Cup match she attended with her husband and former British soccer star David Beckham. According to Jewish Insider, the Qatari embassy explained that Omar’s trip was funded under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, which allows foreign governments to support certain congressional trips.
This foreign junket raises questions about Omar’s priorities. It suggests that she is more concerned with the influence Qatar can gain over Congress rather than the Jewish State, which she has previously accused of receiving support solely due to financial contributions. Omar’s controversial statements, such as “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” in reference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, have led to her removal from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She has also made comparisons between the United States, Israel, and terrorist groups like Hamas and the Taliban.
Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, criticized Omar’s selective outrage regarding foreign influence. He pointed out that Qatar has spent $226 million on lobbying since 2016, compared to Israel’s $162 million, according to OpenSecrets.
Omar, a member of the progressive Squad, defended her trip despite concerns about Qatar’s human rights record and its use of slave labor in building World Cup stadiums. She drew parallels between Qatar’s actions and the United States’ historical treatment of indigenous people, enslavement, and police brutality.
It is worth noting that other American lawmakers also attended the World Cup, with some trips funded by Qatar. The U.S. government covered the expenses for Senators Todd Young, Chris Murphy, and Robert Menendez, while Qatar funded trips for a bipartisan group of House members including Matt Gaetz, Andre Carson, Claudia Tenney, and Eric Swalwell.
Swalwell, who praised Qatar’s showcasing of the region’s religion and culture during the World Cup, has made multiple high-profile trips to the country. In April 2021, he and his wife were hosted in Doha by the U.S.-Qatar Business Council, a pro-Qatari trade group. Swalwell and Representative Ruben Gallego were even photographed riding shirtless on camels in the Qatari desert. After the trip, they both praised Qatar’s preparations for the World Cup and assured the safety of American tourists.
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