An Odd Trio Of Conservative Voices Are Mad About Israel’s Ban On Tlaib, Omar

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 21: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks to members of the media after a closed briefing for Senate members May 21, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting ... WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 21: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks to members of the media after a closed briefing for Senate members May 21, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford briefed Congressional members on Iran. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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While several prominent Republicans, including the President himself, have vocalized support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to ban to sitting congresswomen from entering the country, an odd consortium of conservative voices have spoken out against it.

While none of the three conservatives actually defended Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), each called the decision a mistake. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in a tweet acknowledged that he “100 percent” disagrees with both congresswomen’s stances on Israel and the BDS movement, but said the decision would only “bolster” their opposition to the Israeli government.

Erik Erikson, a conservative blogger and radio host, and Ben Shapiro, a controversial far-right figure — who made news just this week for deriding poor people who have to work two jobs — both called the ban a “PR mistake” for Israel.

While the tweets don’t necessarily amount to support for the congresswomen — who were set to tour parts of the West Bank and visit a on controversial Muslim holy site — they stand out in contrast with other Republicans who have tossed their full weight behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision, including President Trump, Reps. Mo Brooks (R-AL), Chip Roy (R-TX), Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“If you openly joined an international movement to destroy the state of Israel, then you’ll suffer the consequences,” Graham told CBS on Thursday.

Several Democrats and America-based pro-Israel groups reportedly privately expressed concern to the Israeli government about the optics of barring two sitting congresswomen from the entering the country. But the government announced it’s decision Thursday, after being privately and publicly lobbied by Trump personally to keep the congresswomen, who support the BDS movement (boycott, divestment, sanctions), out of Israel.

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