MESOP MIDEAST WATCH MEMRI REPORT  25.7.23

Syrian Jihadi Telegram Outlet Accuses U.S. Lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib: You ‘Claim To Support The Oppressed People In Somalia And Palestine’ – But Vote In Congress To Lift Sanctions On The Assad Regime, ‘The Most Criminal Regime In History’; This Is ‘Iranian Money Poured Into Lobbying’

A Telegram channel linked to jihadi factions fighting against the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria took aim at two U.S. Members of Congress for voting to lift the U.S. sanctions on the Syrian regime.

On July 18, four U.S. Republican lawmakers used separate measures known as privileged resolutions to require votes on whether to end longstanding emergency declarations involving Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The House overwhelmingly rejected the resolutions in a series of votes, after Republicans and Democrats warned that ending the emergencies would unfreeze the assets of militia leaders, arms dealers, and accused war criminals while denying compensation to U.S. victims of terrorism.

On July 20, an anti-Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Telegram channel published a poster showing the Capitol along with images of U.S. Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, along with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The Arabic text on the poster read: “Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar vote in favor of lifting the sanctions on Bashar Al-Assad [during a session held] in the U.S. Congress.”

“Iran Is Pouring Money” To Reps. Omar And Tlaib

The post accused Reps. Omar and Tlaib of exploiting the suffering of Muslims in Somalia and the Palestinian territories and of accepting receiving financial support from Iran to serve its interests. “Those two dirty crones claim to support the oppressed people in Somalia and Palestine and criticize America for waging wars – while at the same time they voted for lifting sanctions on the most criminal regime in history! It is neither hypocrisy nor ideology – it is Iranian money poured into lobbying. However, their votes were overwhelmingly crushed.”