US Congress Censures Rashida Tlaib Over Remarks on Israel’s War
As Israeli ground troops continue to battle in Gaza City, Palestinian-American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib rose to answer a censure motion for comments she made about the war while gripping a photograph of her grandmother who lives in the occupied West Bank. She declared that she “will not be silenced” and “will not let you distort my words”.
“I can’t believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable,” Tlaib said, her voice breaking. The congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota reached out to comfort Tlaib, a show of solidarity between the only Muslim women in the chamber. Tlaib continued: “The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me.”
Late that night, 22 Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in censuring Tlaib, one step below expulsion. The vote was tantamount to a protective shield formed by Tlaib’s closest allies in the Democratic party’s progressive wing, constituted by individuals of color.
The censure motion accused Tlaib of “promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and calling for the destruction of the state of Israel”. Its passage made Tlaib only the 26th member of the House of Representatives to be censured since its formation in 1789.
Throughout her congressional career, Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, has been fiercely protective of her people, earning the respect and devotion of her constituents, friends, and political allies. Despite facing an earlier censure motion, she signaled that she has no intention of retreating from her position.
Tlaib’s opponents have criticized her views, rhetoric, and rejected her use of the “river to the sea” slogan, seeing her refusal to remove a tweet blaming Israel for an explosion at a hospital in Gaza as disrespectful. However, her supporters argue that she has always been an advocate of peace and justice, dismissing the focus on the slogan as “a distraction” and praising her compassion.
This is not the first time Tlaib has found herself on the receiving end of criticism from Israel’s staunchest supporters. She has previously voiced support for a one-state solution in the Middle East, which led to the liberal Israel advocacy group J Street withdrawing its endorsement of her campaign in 2018. Despite this, Tlaib remains committed to her advocacy and is not deterred by the censure motion passed by the House of Representatives.
