Tlaib and several of fellow members of the so-called “Squad” of left-wing Congressional representatives have increasingly tried to condemn Israel for responding to one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in history.
By Andrew Bernard, Algemeiner
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Friday accused President Joe Biden of failing to empathize with the Palestinians after Hamas slaughtered more than 1,300 Israelis, saying that he and “the American political establishment” had a “blanket disregard for saving civilians.”
“President Biden has not expressed one bit of empathy for the millions of Palestinian civilians facing brutal airstrikes and the threat of a ground invasion of Gaza that would intensify this humanitarian crisis,” Tlaib said in a statement. “American Muslims and Arab Americans do not feel represented by our government right now.”
Tlaib’s statement did not mention Hamas. In her statement on Sunday in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ massacre in southern Israel, Tlaib blamed Israel for the slaughter, saying that its “apartheid system” creates “conditions that can lead to resistance.” That statement also did not mention Hamas.
Tlaib’s statements and actions since Saturday have drawn fierce criticism from fellow Democrats, Republicans, and Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog.
“How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a US-designated terror organization?” Herzog posted on X/Twitter on Sunday, quoting her statement.
Tlaib and several of fellow members of the so-called “Squad” of left-wing Congressional representatives have increasingly tried to condemn Israel for responding to one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in history. Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on Friday accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” after it warned civilians in Gaza to seek shelter in the southern half of the Gaza Strip.
“The mass expulsion of over 1 million people in a day is ethnic cleansing,” Omar said. “We have to stop ignoring the thousands of Palestinian lives lost and millions at stake! We must use all diplomatic tools stop this.”
Comments from Tlaib and others have drawn bipartisan condemnation. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) on Sunday described Tlaib’s statement and a similar one Squad member Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) as “reprehensible and repulsive.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) on Sunday said the comments sickened him.
In addition to her statements, Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, has also been criticized for putting a Palestinian flag outside her office in the aftermath of Hamas’ pogrom.
In response to her decision to fly the Palestinian flag, Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) on Monday said that he would introduce legislation preventing money appropriated for legislative offices from being used to purchase foreign flags.
“The halls of Congress belong to America,” Miller said in a post on X/Twitter. “They should be reserved for flags that embody our great nation. The Palestinian flag should not have a place here.”
On Friday, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), who has served with both the US Army and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), had a clear message for Tlaib as he wore his IDF uniform to a Republican caucus meeting on a day when Hamas called for worldwide protests and jihad against Israel.
“Tlaib’s got her flag. I got my uniform. ‘Global Day of Rage’ my a**,” Mast wrote.