US Congress’s only Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib censured over Israel comments

The only Palestinian-American politician in the US Congress has been censured after her fellow representatives voted to condemn her rhetoric about Israel.

The House of Representatives voted by 234 votes to 188 to censure Rashida Tlaib – a punishment just one step below expulsion.

Ms Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, was accused of “promoting false narratives” on Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October, which Israel says killed 1,400 people and left more than 200 of its citizens hostage in Gaza.

Republicans in the House were joined by 22 Democrats to vote for Ms Tlaib’s censure.

All Democrats initially stood by Ms Tlaib and helped defeat the first censure resolution against her last week.

But since then, many of her colleagues, including prominent Jewish members, have become more conflicted about her rhetoric about the war.

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Ms Tlaib has condemned Hamas’s assault, while also criticising US support for Israel as the country’s military continues to bombard Gaza in response. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says around 10,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the current conflict began.

The censure measure specifically referred to a video Ms Tlaib shared on social media, in which she uses the phrase “from the river to the sea” – a common pro-Palestinian slogan seen by some as calling for the destruction of Israel.

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Republican Rich McCormick of Georgia called for the vote against Ms Tlaib in response to what he called her promotion of antisemitic rhetoric.

He alleged she has “levied unbelievable falsehoods about our greatest ally, Israel”.

Her fellow members of Congress were also angered on Friday when she posted a video accusing President Joe Biden of supporting “genocide of the Palestinian people”, a charge vehemently rejected by Israel.

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Ms Tlaib addressed the House to deny accusations of antisemitism, adding her perspective is needed “more than ever” as the sole Palestinian-American in Congress.

“My criticism has always been of the Israeli government and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s actions,” she said.

“The idea that criticising the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent.

“Palestinian people are not disposable,” she added, taking a long pause as she became emotional.

Her grandmother lives in a village in the occupied West Bank, a territory Israel captured in the 1967 war with neighbouring Arab states.

Ms Tlaib’s censure is largely symbolic and has no specific punishment. However, it is historically a measure of last resort in US politics – although one that is being used increasingly often for partisan purposes.

She is the second Muslim-American woman in Congress to be formally admonished this year for her criticism of Israel.

Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, was removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee in February.