Title: Rep. Rashida Tlaib Accuses President Biden of Supporting “Genocide” of Palestinians, Threatens Political Consequences
Subtitle: Tensions rise as Tlaib demands Biden to support cease-fire in Israel-Gaza conflict
Date: [Date]
Author: [Author]
[City], [State] – Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has accused President Biden of supporting the “genocide” of Palestinians amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in the House, posted a video on social media demanding Biden’s intervention to support a cease-fire, warning that the American people will remember his actions when he is up for reelection in 2024.
The video posted on [platform] began with distressing footage of bombings and scenes of bloodshed from the conflict. In the video, Tlaib directly addressed President Biden, stating, “Mr. President, the American people are not with you on this one… We will remember in 2024.” Text at the end of the video accused Biden of supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people and urged him to support a cease-fire or risk losing support in the future.
The accusation of genocide made by Tlaib references the Genocide Convention of 1948, which defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a specific national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. It includes various acts such as killings, serious harm inflicted on a group, making living conditions impossible, preventing births, or forcibly transferring children to another group.
As the war continues, the death toll rises, with thousands of Gazans losing their lives. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees estimates that approximately 1.4 million people in Gaza are now internally displaced.
Neither Tlaib’s office nor the White House has responded to requests for comment as of Friday evening. President Biden, who has expressed support for Israel in its fight against Hamas, emphasized the need for minimizing civilian casualties and called for a humanitarian “pause” in the conflict.
In a separate social media post, Tlaib defended the phrase, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which has been interpreted as a call for the eradication of Israel. She clarified that the phrase represents an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, rather than promoting death, destruction, or hate.
Opinions within the Democratic Party regarding America’s role in the Israel-Gaza conflict and Biden’s handling of the situation appear divided. Recent polling indicates that 22% of Democrats favor increasing military aid to Israel, while 45% support increasing humanitarian aid to Palestinians. President Biden has proposed over $14 billion in emergency aid to Israel, a move that garners broad support within the House Democratic caucus.
A national poll conducted by Quinnipiac University reveals that 26% of Democrats disapprove of Biden’s response to the conflict, slightly higher than the 17% who disapprove of his overall job performance. Among all voters, 42% approve of Biden’s response to the Israel-Gaza conflict, while 46% disapprove.
This controversy emerges just days after the House voted to table an effort to censure Tlaib for her comments and actions related to the Israel-Gaza conflict. The measure was ultimately tabled with support from more than 20 House Republicans along with every Democratic lawmaker present in the chamber.
As tensions escalate and political divisions deepen, the situation remains highly volatile. The international community closely watches any developments aiming to bring lasting peace to the region.
Contributors: Andrea Salcedo, Michael Scherer, and Claire Parker
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