"It's been fascinating to see such a powerful conference be focused and so fearful of a freshman member of Congress," Omar told reporters on Capitol Hill. "I hope that they figure out a way to not allow me to have a permanent residency in their heads."
Omar, one of the first two Muslim women in Congress, has drawn controversy after she suggested money was behind politicians' support for Israel -- she later apologized -- and insinuated that pro-Israel groups were pushing "allegiance to a foreign country." The comments were criticized on both sides of the aisle and prompted the Democratic-led House to pass a resolution earlier this month condemning hate and intolerance, including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim discrimination.
On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence reprimanded Omar at the conference, saying she "trafficked and repeated anti-Semitic tropes, alleged congressional support for Israel reflected an allegiance to a foreign country," and adding, "anti-Semitism has no place in the Congress of the United States of America."
Also speaking at the pro-Israel conference on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, appeared to reference Omar, though not by name, when stressing the need to call out anti-Semitism.
"When someone names only prominent Jews as trying to 'buy' or 'steal' our elections, we must call it out," Schumer said. "When someone says that being Jewish and supporting Israel means you're not loyal to America, we must call it out."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, also criticized Omar at the conference, as did the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who took a veiled shot at his House colleague.
"When someone accuses American supporters of dual loyalty, I say: Accuse me," Hoyer said at AIPAC on Sunday.
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