courtesy: Vanity fair
Advertisement
The House passed a resolution led by GOP to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib’s comment, in support of Palestine and critical of Israel, amid the ongoing Israel – Hamas conflict, on Tuesday.
The rare move amounts to rebuke of Michigan Democrat, who is the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress. The vote was 234 to 188, with 22 Democrats voting in support, while four Republicans voted against the censure resolution.
The resolution, introduced by Georgia GOP Rep. Rich McCormick, advanced earlier in the day after a Democratic-led effort to block the measure failed.
Tlaib has defended herself against the censure and claimed that it is an attempt to silence her and said her “colleagues have resorted to distorting my positions in resolutions filled with obvious lies.”
Following the vote to advance the censure, Tlaib gave an emotional speech, wherein she mentioned that her criticism for Israeli government should be confused for antisemitism.
“It is important to separate people and governments. No government is beyond criticism,” she said. The idea that criticising the Israeli government is antisemitism set a very dangerous precedent, as it works to shut down the diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation, continued Tlaib.
The congresswoman grew emotional and had trouble speaking after she said, “I can’t believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable… We are human beings just like anyone else.” She took a long pause, during which Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota stood up to comfort her by placing her hands on Tlaib’s shoulder as she braced herself against the podium.
"I can't believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable. We are human beings just like anyone else."@RashidaTlaib delivers a powerful speech on the House floor in defense of ceasefire and release of hostages before the censure vote. pic.twitter.com/gLdQyFrxG9
— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) November 7, 2023