Dem VA Delegate Endorses Anti-Semitic Statement By Progressive D.C. Group, Calls Israel a ‘Zionist Supremacist State’

Democrat Virginia Delegate Ibraheem Samirah, who was primaried in June by Irene Shin, endorsed an anti-Semitic statement by a progressive group based in Washington D.C. and called Israel a “Zionist supremacist state.”

The group, Sunrise Movement DC, had made their tweets protected, but have since made them public again, following backlash for their statement, including a long statement from U.S. House Rep Jamie Raskin (D-MD).

The statement from Raskin, who is Jewish, stopped short of a complete condemnation, but he said that he was “startled” by the statement from the group.

Raskin ultimately referred to the group as his “friends” and asked them to withdraw their statement.

Here is my statement on the statement sent out by D.C. Sunrise. pic.twitter.com/muJvGFFw6Q

— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) October 21, 2021

As for Samirah, he took a completely different approach, giving his full throated endorsement of the statement.

“I stand with @SunriseMvmtDC in taking the strong stand against Zionist Supremacist co-opting of enviro-justice organizing, including the fight for voting rights for all. The enviro-justice issue here goes beyond my Palestinian family’s voting rights’ denial by Israel,” Samirah insisted in a quote tweet of the tweeted statement.

Samirah then shared an article about Israel and WMDs, ripping recently deceased Colin Powell, something that many condemned former President Trump for doing.

“The Zionist Supremacist state rejects land/water rights to millions of Palestinians, Syrians & Jordanians. It’s Mossad creates fossil fuel wars using malicious intel, most famously the WMD lie Colin Powell spewed to the world to justify the Iraq war,” Samirah explained.

In an additional tweet, Samirah added, “Holding Zionist Supremacy accountable IS environmental justice. Greenwashing Zionist Supremacist orgs is not.”

I stand with @SunriseMvmtDC in taking the strong stand against Zionist Supremacist co-opting of enviro-justice organizing, including the fight for voting rights for all.

The enviro-justice issue here goes beyond my Palestinian family's voting rights' denial by Israel. https://t.co/CtmxEAE63y

— Del. Ibraheem Samirah (@IbraheemSamirah) October 20, 2021

Holding Zionist Supremacy accountable IS environmental justice. Greenwashing Zionist Supremacist orgs is not.

— Del. Ibraheem Samirah (@IbraheemSamirah) October 20, 2021

Stopantisemitism.org called out Samirah for his tweets and asked, “Why is @IbraheemSamirah, a Virginia House delegate, perpetuating rhetoric David Duke uses?”

“95%+ of Jews are Zionists; this is sickening and must be immediately condemned by @USJewishDems @DemMaj4Israel @TheDemocrats @virginiadems We need UNITY not further division!” they declared.

Former Trump Strategic Advisor Boris Epshteyn quote tweeted their tweet and offered a list of concerns:

“1. @IbraheemSamirah – you can take your anti – Semitic babble and choke on it. 2. Where are the @USJewishDems to call out this hate? What about @DNC@harrisonjaime? 3. Any comment from @jack, @Twitter?”

Samirah took notice of Epshteyn’s callout and gave an unsurprising response in a quote tweet of Epshteyn.

“I’m not the one that worked for and loves Trump, the raging anti-Semite, and I’m not the one who loves his Zionist Supremacist bff Netanyahu either. Both are you!” Samirah responded.

I'm not the one that worked for and loves Trump, the raging anti-Semite, and I'm not the one who loves his Zionist Supremacist bff Netanyahu either. Both are you! https://t.co/2ukEKyGanJ pic.twitter.com/pwR0fgSqDP

— Del. Ibraheem Samirah (@IbraheemSamirah) October 22, 2021

The national Sunrise Movement distanced itself from its D.C. chapter’s statement, but did not condemn them, though, and said that the struggle for “rights of Palestinians” are included within the principles that its coalition members should uphold.