‘Squad’ Falls Silent on Rabbi Stabbing in Boston

Ilhan Omar said Jewish colleagues not “partners in justice”

Matthew Foldi • July 2, 2021 2:55 pm

The far-left members of the Democratic “Squad” have fallen largely silent on the Boston rabbi who was stabbed eight times outside of a Jewish school.

Aside from Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D., Mass.), who represents the district where 24-year-old Khaled Awad nearly murdered Rabbi Shlomo Noginski, none of the Squad members have condemned the anti-Semitic attack. The Washington Free Beacon contacted each of the House Democrats associated with the Squad–Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.), Cori Bush (D., Mo.), and Pressley—none of whom responded to requests for comment about the attack.

The attack comes as liberals like Bowman call for members to be more outspoken about “hateful” rhetoric. The New York representative shared footage of a group of Israelis participating in an anti-Arab chant and challenged his colleagues to “disavow” racism wherever it exists. “I represent many within the Jewish community who disavow and condemn this hateful language,” Bowman wrote on Twitter. “So why does only a small portion of our Congress?”

The Squad members are largely silent as Democrats face yet another reckoning on anti-Semitism in their ranks. Omar was criticized by a dozen of her Jewish colleagues after she compared America and Israel to terrorist groups. Omar on CNN this week lambasted her Jewish colleagues for criticizing her, saying they were not “partners in justice.”

The group of far-left Democrats rarely issues statements when Jews are victims of crime in America, even though FBI statistics routinely rank Jews as a top victim of hate crimes in America. They are far more likely to take to social media when victims appear to be from different targeted groups. Hours after reports emerged that actor Jussie Smollett was allegedly attacked on the streets of Chicago, for example, Ocasio-Cortez labeled it a “racist and homophobic attack.”

“If you don’t like what is happening to our country, then work to change it,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “It is no one’s job to water down or sugar-coat the rise of hate crimes.”

Chicago police later found that Smollett had staged the attack.

There is no such thing as “racially charged.”

This attack was not “possibly” homophobic. It was a racist and homophobic attack.

If you don’t like what is happening to our country, then work to change it. It is no one’s job to water down or sugar-coat the rise of hate crimes. https://t.co/QAi0IYtSeR

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 30, 2019

The attack on Rabbi Noginski occurred in broad daylight outside the Jewish school. Witnesses say Awad approached the rabbi at gunpoint and tried to force him into a car. Noginski fought back and was stabbed eight times during the struggle. Awad is now in police custody.

Hillel Neuer, an international advocate against anti-Semitism, laid blame for the attack at least in part on the ongoing political attacks against the state of Israel.

“Jews are being attacked today in America, and the last people they’d turn to for help are so-called anti-racists like … Ilhan Omar and [Ocasio-Cortez],” Neuer wrote on Twitter. “Incendiary, slanderous political rhetoric demonizing Israel (‘apartheid’) and Jews (‘not partners in justice’) put U.S. Jews in danger.”

Pressley acknowledged late Thursday night that anti-Semitism is a “clear and persistent threat to our communities” and said Rabbi Noginski would be in her prayers.

Despite her belief that Boston residents are living under threat of hate crimes, Pressley advocates defunding the city’s police department. Last year, Pressley said a plan to cut Boston’s police funding by 10 percent was a positive development.

“Their proposals outline some immediate steps we can take towards better resourcing our communities and building a more just world,” Pressley said.

From his hospital bed, Rabbi Noginsky praised Boston police officers for capturing his attacker. “I am grateful to the Boston Police Department for their rapid response, and relieved that the perpetrator is in custody,” the rabbi said. “I am looking forward to returning to my work as soon as possible.”