Bill Maher defends Ilhan Omar's Israel comments: 'I don't know why this has to be seen as anti-Semitic'

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Bill Maher has come to the defense of freshman Democrat Ilhan Omar over her controversial Israel comments that resulted in many accusing her of anti-Semitism.

The liberal comic brought up the topic during a panel discussion on Friday’s night episode of his HBO show, Real Time.

House Democratic leaders on Monday roundly condemned Rep. Omar, D-Minn., for statements about supporters of Israel that were widely viewed as anti-Semitic.

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Omar, in response, "unequivocally" apologized, while reaffirming the "problematic role" of lobbyists.

Maher, who is no stranger to creating a firestorm with his own comments, questioned why the Minnesota Democrat’s comments have ‘to be seen as anti-Semitic’.

“She was talking about the Jewish lobby AIPAC and said, ‘It’s all about the Benjamins,’” Maher said.

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“Now, I probably don’t agree with her a lot about what she feels about Israel and Palestine, but I don’t know why this has to be seen as anti-Semitic.”

He continued: “Now, she may be anti-Semitic, but if I criticize Saudi Arabia, that doesn’t mean I’m an Islamophobe.”

The Atlantic’s David Frum replied, “it depends how,” before the show rolled onto another topic.

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The comedian’s comments were the latest in a long line in response to Omar’s tweets this week, including calls for her resignation from President Donald Trump.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting.

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“I think she should either resign from Congress or she should certainly resign from the foreign affairs committee.”

Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "shocking to hear a Member of Congress invoke the anti-Semitic trope of 'Jewish money.'" Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., called the comments "deeply disappointing and disturbing."