{"id":505045,"date":"2021-05-13T17:05:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T21:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=505045"},"modified":"2021-05-13T17:05:57","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T21:05:57","slug":"virginia-school-board-member-makes-anti-israel-social-media-posts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-school-board-member-makes-anti-israel-social-media-posts\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia School Board Member Makes Anti-Israel Social Media Posts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvirginia-school-board-member-makes-anti-israel-social-media-posts%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=505045&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div readability=\"29.797570850202\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"article-category\"><a class href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/\">Campus<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"article-excerpt\">Allegations of anti-Semitism have plagued Fairfax County schools in recent years<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-thumbnail-container relative lg:mr-24 w-full my-4 mb-8\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"736\" height=\"514\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788-1.jpg\" class=\"w-full lazyload blur-up wp-post-image\" alt loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788.jpg 736w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788-703x491.jpg 703w\" data-sizes=\"auto\"  style=\"display:none\"><figcaption class=\"absolute text-white p-4 w-full text-right text-xs bottom-0 bg-black opacity-75\">\n\t\t\t\tAbrar Omeish speaks at a memorial service \/ Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"text-gray text-xs md:text-lg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/author\/alex-nester\/\" title=\"Posts by Alex Nester\" class=\"author url fn text-red-700\" rel=\"author\">Alex Nester<\/a> \u2022 May 13, 2021 5:00 pm<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div readability=\"134.53702937526\">\n<p>A Fairfax County school board member referred to Israel as an &#8220;apartheid&#8221; state that &#8220;kills Palestinians&#8221; in two social media posts Thursday morning.<\/p>\n<p>In posts celebrating the end of Ramadan, Fairfax County School Board member-at-large Abrar Omeish wrote that Israel is a colonizing state that &#8220;desecrates the Holy Land.&#8221; Omeish posted the same message on her public Facebook and Twitter accounts, which she uses both in her private capacity and as a district official.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Hurts my heart to celebrate while Israel kills Palestinians &#038; desecrates the Holy Land right now,&#8221; Omeish said in the posts. &#8220;Apartheid &#038; colonization were wrong yesterday and will be today, here and there. May justice + truth prevail.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/?attachment_id=1475148\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1475148\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1475148\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM.png\" alt width=\"974\" height=\"1322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM.png 974w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM-221x300.png 221w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM-754x1024.png 754w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM-768x1042.png 768w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM-736x999.png 736w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.02.07-PM-362x491.png 362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/?attachment_id=1475151\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1475151\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1475151\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM.png\" alt width=\"1180\" height=\"1074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM.png 1180w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM-300x273.png 300w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM-1024x932.png 1024w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM-768x699.png 768w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM-736x670.png 736w, https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Screen-Shot-2021-05-13-at-12.08.42-PM-539x491.png 539w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1180px) 100vw, 1180px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Fairfax County Public Schools have come under fire for allegations of anti-Semitism in recent years. Jewish parents have publicly criticized the district&#8217;s treatment of religious minorities, and superintendent Scott Brabrand was forced to apologize in 2019 after a teacher displayed a student art project that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/jcrc.gw\/posts\/2142440455877568?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB2IiGiRACgkwP4fr8lZUhRBTUOF2z9F2tgbf6oD6UaU36PiIOae6icar4h3OdQYoha4C_JbVEZlzs-gYcr02VT6baGOqdY4L_u5ydqDabC3mkTMWK8LgOWd-WTON-ptGDJ4KN41HnfO_5VeixjpEI0FZueSOWjypbo13HykiGQV9bDnquUatCfh4A_b0WMyenZv0hRWy97PaBBcq3jvumfKPXOxlIbKFiRAobQFyMXLG643cHC12AdDmw27vRSb0I_vRVvNZul6vvA32xa6l7W5HhutVFbruHOcARKrM-ZlsTDjWFS-ESYD5NvWvCZrBEhk_sNbeyCTGlGsXccp893Eg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">depicted<\/a> anti-Semitic stereotypes.<\/p>\n<p>Omeish&#8217;s anti-Israel posts follow nearly a week of deadly conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. While Gaza-based terrorists have killed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-middle-east-57094737\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seven<\/a> people in Israel as of this writing, supporters of Palestine like Omeish have only condemned Israel&#8217;s counterstrikes, which have so far killed more than a dozen terrorists.<\/p>\n<p>Aaron Taliaferro, a former Fairfax County Schools parent, told the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em> that Omeish&#8217;s posts demonstrate why many Fairfax parents are in favor of recalling Omeish.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a biased comment that reflects a lack of understanding of a complexity of the issues in the Middle East, especially in regard to Israel and Hamas specifically,&#8221; Taliaferro said. &#8220;[The post] is a great illustration of why we want to recall her\u2014not because she feels that way, because this is a young woman who does not grasp complexity and nuance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Taliaferro pulled two of his children out of Fairfax schools before the 2020-2021 school year so that they could attend class in-person at local Catholic schools.<\/p>\n<p>One Fairfax County Public Schools parent was &#8220;angered and saddened&#8221; by Omeish&#8217;s post and told the <em>Free Beacon<\/em> that Omeish should resign.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Not only is [the post] filled with lies, inaccuracies and antisemitic tropes, it fuels the flame of Jewish hate that is a problem in our country,&#8221; the parent said. &#8220;Ms. Omeish needs to resign from her job as a school board member now that she has shown her true feelings. \u2026 There should be no tolerance of public people using their platforms to spew ignorance, lies, and hate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Parents replying to Omeish&#8217;s post in the comment section described the message as &#8220;racist&#8221; and said the statement ostracized Jewish families.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You can celebrate your religious holidays and faith without the racist opinions, especially on your public campaign\/School Board FBPage,&#8221; one parent commented.\u00a0 &#8220;You just alienated all of your Jewish constituents and children in [Fairfax County school district].&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;How can you say you support EVERY child when your hate message about Israel is viral,&#8221; another parent commented. &#8220;What about MY zionist Jewish children? You support everyone BUT them? I want you out.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Another parent said that while she supports Omeish&#8217;s right to speak freely, she &#8220;can&#8217;t imagine&#8221; teachers explaining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to students &#8220;AND then inserting their opinions as well.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Fairfax County School Board did not respond to the <em>Free Beacon<\/em>\u2018s request for comment in time for publication.<\/p>\n<p>Omeish was elected to a four-year term on the school board in 2019. She serves on two school board <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcps.edu\/school-board\/school-board-committees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">committees<\/a> and is the youngest person ever elected to the board. Before her time on the board, Omeish was tapped to serve as Virginia <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/abrar-omeish-2b561147\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cochair<\/a> for Sen. Bernie Sanders&#8217;s (I., Vt.) failed presidential campaign. Omeish, a Yale graduate, is studying for a combined Masters of Public Policy and JD at Georgetown.<\/p>\n<p>This spring, two Jewish mothers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/local-opinions\/fairfax-school-board-minority-faiths-intolerance\/2021\/04\/01\/db8ee3cc-915c-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">penned<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2021\/03\/17\/fairfax-schools-are-failing-jewish-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">opinions<\/a> in the <em>Washington Post<\/em>\u00a0condemning the Fairfax school district&#8217;s treatment of religious minorities, including both Jews and Muslims. One of those authors, Anna Stolley Persky, wrote that her family has &#8220;experienced microaggressions, gaslighting and outright anti-Semitism.&#8221; Joyce Winslow noted in her article that one sixth-grade student would pull up the hood of his sweatshirt so that other students wouldn&#8217;t identify him as Jewish.<\/p>\n<p>Critics of Israel blamed an Israeli rocket for the deaths of nine children in the Gaza strip, though reports show that a faulty rocket <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog-may-11-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">launched<\/a> from within Gaza was actually responsible for their deaths. The Israeli military&#8217;s targeted counterattacks have neutralized several Hamas weapons caches in the Gaza Strip and killed more than 80 people, including terrorists.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Campus Allegations of anti-Semitism have plagued Fairfax County schools in recent years  Abrar Omeish speaks at a memorial service \/ Getty Images  Alex Nester &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2278096,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Virginia School Board Member Makes Anti-Israel Social Media Posts","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-505045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/rsz_gettyimages-1056431788-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Virginia School Board Member Makes Anti-Israel Social Media Posts","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=505045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505045\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2278096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=505045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=505045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=505045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}