A controversial Democrat lawmaker has been censured by the House for her outspoken comments. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, is well-known for her advocacy of the rights of Palestinians. Her fellow lawmakers, however, believe she has overstepped this time.
Tlaib’s Anti-Israel History
Rashida Tlaib made history when she was elected to Congress as the first Palestinian-American woman. She has been a legislator since January of this year, and since then she has become known as a staunch advocate for Palestinian rights and an outspoken opponent of Israel. As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), she is considered to be on the extreme left and a part of the group known as “the Squad.”
Tlaib has been in trouble on multiple occasions due to her opinions on Israel. While she was endorsed by liberal Middle East peace group J Street during her 2018 primary race, the organization retracted its endorsement before she was elected to the House. Tlaib is accused of misleading J Street by advocating for a one-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. In addition, she backs the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is opposed by the majority of US lawmakers (including the majority of Democrats).
Anti-Defamation League attacks against Tlaib have been frequent. Tlaib has been accused of having ties to anti-Semitic organizations, a charge she strongly refutes. Tlaib’s views have been made apparent by Israel, which has barred her from entering the country along with fellow “Squad” member Ilhan Omar (D-MN). However, she is free to visit her family in the area of the West Bank that is under Israeli control as long as she refrains from making any political statements. Tlaib, meanwhile, won’t go because of the “oppressive conditions.”
Hamas Scandal
So Tlaid is clearly a long-standing opponent of Israel, but since the October 7 Hamas attack that murdered 1,400 Israelis, the issue has blown up. While most legislators were quick to condemn the terrorist atrocity, Tlaib didn’t say anything until the next day — and, when she did, she said “I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday.” As the Palestinian lives lost were Hamas terrorists killed by Israeli security forces after murdering innocent people, that didn’t go down too well. Tlaib has also used the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Most people interpret that as a call for the destruction of Israel.
A vote to reprimand Tlaib was presented by Republican Georgia representative Rich McCormick on November 7 after she was accused of “promoting false narratives” about the October 7 incident and of calling for the destruction of Israel. Her fellow Democrats have always defended her from formal censure, but it appears she has over the line this time. When McCormick’s move came to the floor, more than 20 Dems endorsed it, while only four Republicans leaned the other way. The final tally was 234 in favor of 188 against. This is a warning shot that, if Tlaib is savvy, she will heed, as a censure is typically the penultimate step before removal from the House
