Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders came to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s defense, calling the recent treatment of the freshman congresswoman over her allegedly anti-Semitic remarks “wrong.”

Sanders, who is Jewish, acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that “anti-Semitism is a hateful and dangerous ideology which must be vigorously opposed in the United States and around the world.”

But the independent Vermont senator added: “We must not, however, equate anti-Semitism with legitimate criticism of the right-wing, Netanyahu government in Israel. Rather, we must develop an even-handed Middle East policy which brings Israelis and Palestinians together for a lasting peace.”

Sanders then took issue with how the House has handled Omar for controversial comments she’s recently made about Israel.

“What I fear is going on in the House now is an effort to target Congresswoman Omar as a way of stifling that debate. That’s wrong,” he said.