Muslim member of Virginia immigration panel quits following on-line videos

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A member of Virginia's Commission on Immigration resigned a few hours after Gov. Timothy M. Kaine was told about on-line videos showing the appointee condemning Israel and advocating "the jihad way." Kaine learned of the videos Thursday from a caller to his live monthly radio program and accepted the resignation of Dr. Esam S. Omeish about three hours later. "Dr. Omeish is a respected physician and community leader, yet I have been made aware of certain statements he has made which concern me," Kaine said in a news release announcing the resignation. Omeish said in an interview that he resigned because he did not want what he called a misinterpretation of his words to hamper work done by the 20-member commission, appointed to study the effects of immigration and federal immigration policies on Virginia.