House Democrats Growing Concerned Over Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s Comments on Israel, Stop Short of Censure
Washington, D.C. – House Democrats are expressing growing alarm over comments made by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat and the only Palestinian American member of Congress, regarding Israel. Tlaib has been an outspoken critic of Israel and recently used an anti-Israel chant in a video where she accused President Joe Biden of supporting a Palestinian “genocide.” While the phrase she used, “from the river to the sea,” has been seen as a call for Jewish genocide in Israel, Tlaib argues that she views it as a call for freedom and human rights, rather than death and destruction.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that he has concerns over Tlaib’s use of the anti-Israel chant, but it remains unclear if he has expressed these concerns directly to the congresswoman. Other Democratic lawmakers, such as Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan and Rep. Debbie Dingell, have also criticized Tlaib’s rhetoric but are hesitant to support censure resolutions against her.
However, two Republican lawmakers have filed separate censure resolutions against Tlaib, and there are signs that GOP support for censuring her is growing. Last week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene led a failed censure resolution against Tlaib, but she has slightly revised her language in a new resolution filed this week. Additionally, GOP Rep. Richard McCormick and GOP Rep. Chip Roy have introduced their own censure resolutions targeting Tlaib.
Meanwhile, Tlaib still enjoys support among her fellow progressive colleagues, known as “the Squad.” Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York believes that censure resolutions are distracting from actual legislative work.
The proposed censure of Tlaib has sparked a back-and-forth among lawmakers across the aisle. Last week, Democratic Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont filed and then withdrew a resolution to censure Greene over her controversial remarks. On Monday, Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs of California filed a censure resolution against GOP Rep. Brian Mast of Florida for his comments comparing Palestinian civilians to Nazi civilians.
The heated debate surrounding Tlaib’s comments reflects the deep divisions within Congress over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and raises questions about the limits of free speech and the role of censuring lawmakers.