Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cory Busch (D-Mo.) faced criticism from fellow Democrats over weekend statements in which they each labeled Israel an apartheid state and called for The United States stopped providing funds to the country. Hamas launched a raid that killed hundreds of people.
Tlaib said she continued to “be grieved by the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today and every day,” before calling for “the dismantling of the apartheid system that created suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that could lead to resistance .” She has previously criticized the Israeli government and denounced a House resolution supporting Israel in a speech in July.
Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, also called in a lengthy statement to lift the Gaza blockade and “end the occupation.”
“Failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation and apartheid will not make anyone safer. No child, no one, anywhere should be exposed to violence or live in fear of violence. We We cannot lose sight of each other’s humanity,” she said.
“As long as our country provides billions of dollars in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue,” she continued.
Bush also made similar remarks in a statement In a letter on Saturday, she condemned the targeting of civilians and said she was “heartbroken” by the violence. She also called on the United States to end its support for Israel.
“As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending the U.S. government’s support of Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” she said.
Tlaib and Bush’s comments quickly drew backlash from the left and right, including from two Democratic congressmen. Reps. Rich Torres (D-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) condemned the lawmakers’ comments in interviews with Jewish Insider.
“U.S. aid to Israel is and should be unconditional, and even more so in this time of desperate need,” Torres said in a statement to Jewish Insider. Shame on anyone who glorifies the massacre as ‘resistance’. It is reprehensible and disgusting.”
Gottheimer said in a statement obtained by The Theater: “Two of my colleagues have called on the United States to cease aid to Israel, despite the fact that countless Israeli children, women, men and seniors, including Americans, are being targeted by Iran-backed Photos of killings by Hamas militant terrorists.” The ramp. “It sickens me that while Israelis are cleaning up the blood of family members who were shot in their homes, they believe Congress should strip American funding of our democratic allies and let innocent civilians suffer.”
Israel’s ambassador to the United States also took aim at Tlaib’s remarks.
“How much more blood do you need to shed before you can overcome your prejudices and unequivocally condemn Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist organization?” Michael Herzog responded by saying Tlaib’s statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians were massacred in cold blood on the holy day. Babies were abducted from their mothers’ arms and taken to Gaza. An 85-year-old woman in a wheelchair and a Holocaust survivor were held hostage Hostages. Isn’t that enough, @RashidaTlaib?” he continued.
The Hill has reached out to the offices of Tlaib, Bush and Torres for comment.
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