After Hamas invaded Israel, statements of support came pouring in. President Joe Biden's statement was a little more delayed than would have been fitting. He did eventually release a statement and speak about the matter on Saturday. Perhaps the most delayed response, though, came from Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). All eyes were on the squad members to see how they would react, and some statements were better than others. Sarah covered some of them on Sunday. Tlaib's was not only delayed, it was particularly problematic.
It's worth noting that, unlike the other members who posted their statements to their X accounts, Tlaib didn't share the statement to either of her accounts. She has, however, posted since Saturday, when news of Hamas' brutal attack came out.
Statement from @RepRashida Tlaib pic.twitter.com/1GdpREtLqZ
— Melissa Nann Burke (@nannburke) October 8, 2023
On Sunday afternoon, Detroit News' Melissa Nann Burke shared a statement from the congresswoman.
"I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights, and human dignity," the statement began, which notably mentioned Palestinian loss of life first, but also behaved as if Saturday was just any other day.
"At least 700 people have died, and over 2,000 have been injured in Israel after rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel by Hamas militants, Israeli authorities said," ABC News reported late Sunday night.
The statement only got worse from there.
"The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance," she went on to say, using the terminology she has used many times in the past to express anti-Israel sentiments.
She continued to use the term throughout the statement.
"The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. We cannot ignore the humanity in each other," she said.
In conclusion, Tlaib also called for cutting off aid to Israel, blaming that for the violence, rather than Hamas -- which her statement contained zero mention of.
"As long as our country provides billions in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue," the statement ended with, using "apartheid" for the third time in the statement for good measure.
It was basically a statement that the anti-Israel Tlaib could have put out any day, and not after the country had just seen the bloodiest day in its history.
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) did post her statement to her official X account on Saturday night, though that hardly made it better. Some of her statement took the time to call out Israel and toss out false accusations. Her statement was also among those criticized for calling for "an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation to prevent further loss of life."
"Our immediate focus must be saving lives, but our ultimate focus must be on a just and lasting peace that ensures safety for everyone in the region. Violations of human rights do not justify more violations of human rights, and a military response will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike," Bush said.
"As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid," the penultimate paragraph read.
My statement on the ongoing violence in Palestine and Israel ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/NIt9G7aLMI
— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) October 8, 2023
Tlaib is no stranger to anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic sentiments, comments, and even events.
When the House voted on and passed a statement in July that Israel was not "a racist state," meant to condemn comments from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) that communicated just that, Tlaib was one of the nine who voted against it.
Earlier this year Tlaib felt the need to mourn 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel with a "Nakba," or "catastrophe" event in May that took place in the committee room for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), thanks to Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT). It was supposed to take place at the U.S. Capitol, but then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) put a stop to it. McCarthy mentioned such an attempt during his remarks earlier on Monday as well.
When Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), another anti-Israel squad member was removed from her position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee in February for that anti-Israel and anti-Semitic behavior, Tlaib threw a fit on the House floor.
In September of last year, Tlaib not only hurled the accusation at Israel when it comes to being an "apartheid" state, she claimed while speaking at an online event that "I want you all to know that among progressives, it has become clear that you cannot claim to hold progressive values, yet back Israel’s apartheid government."
Such behavior has earned the criticism from even fellow Democrats, including Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who didn't hold back from calling out the demands made by Tlaib and Bush as "reprehensible and repulsive." He had also called Tlaib out last year for her claims that one could not be progressive and support Israel.
Michael Herzog, the ambassador of Israel to the United States, shared Tlaib's statement to X to directly call her out while mentioning the nature of the atrocities going on in Israel.
"How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization?" He asked. "Hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians massacred in cold blood on a holy day. Babies kidnapped from their mother's arms and taken to Gaza. An 85-year-old woman in a wheelchair and a Holocaust survivor taken hostage. He even tagged the congresswoman. "Is that not enough, @RashidaTlaib?"
"Rashida Tlaib" was trending over X on Sunday night and Monday morning for her statement.
.@RepRitchie responds to comments from Reps. Bush and Tlaib on the situation in Israel. "Shame on anyone who glorifies as “resistance” the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. It is reprehensible and repulsive."
— Marc Rod (@marcrod97) October 8, 2023
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/KP0L1eAnNU
How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization?
— Ambassador Michael Herzog (@AmbHerzog) October 8, 2023
Hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians massacred in cold blood on a holy day. Babies kidnapped from their mother's arms and taken to… pic.twitter.com/tRvvwlhzX8
Join the conversation as a VIP Member