Ilhan Omar says she doesn't regret Israel comments, praises ICC and urges justice

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar stood by comments she made comparing Israel’s actions against Palestinians to "atrocities committed by the US, Hamas, and the Taliban".

Omar, who is one of the few Muslim members of Congress, appeared on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, where she was asked if she regrets making those comments. Omar told Jake Tapper: "I don't."

She added: "[The US should] continue to find ways in which people can find justice around the world.

"I think it's really important to think back to the point that I was trying to make, obviously I was addressing Secretary of State Blinken. The cases are put together in front of the ICC, ICC has been investigating.

"I know that, you know, some of my colleagues don't lend legitimacy to the ICC, but I tend to think that people around the world who have experience on justice need to be able to have a place where they can go and as a country that helped found the ICC and supported it."

The Somali-American Congresswoman attracted controversy for her comments about Israel, which devastated Gaza during its 11-day bombardment of the Strip last month.

Israel has also been criticised for facilitating the illegal expulsion of Palestinian families from Jerusalem neighbourhoods, including Sheikh Jarrah.

Omar's comments divided the country, with some US politicians accusing her of antisemitism. Others agreed and said that the US and Israel should be accountable for their actions.

Later, she clarified her remarks in a statement: "The conversation was about accountability for specific incidents regarding those ICC cases, not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the US and Israel."

Despite a fragile ceasefire, Israeli forces continue their demolition of Palestinian homes, which led to violence against Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem.

The United Nations last week accused Israel of flagrantly violating international law by expanding illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and demanded it halt its activities.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland reported on the implementation of a 2016 Security Council resolution that declares Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories as having "no legal validity".

The resolution also demanded a halt to Israeli settlement expansions in occupied Palestinian territories.

Wennesland said in a briefing to the council on Guterres' 12-page report that he was "deeply troubled" by Israel's approval of the construction of 540 more housing units at the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem, as well as the establishment of wildcat settlement outposts. He said the move is "illegal also under Israeli law".