Tlaib Likens ‘Racist’ Israel to U.S. Segregation During the 19th Century
Freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich) claimed the "racist policies" of the state of Israel were similar to segregation in the United States during the 19th century.
During an interview that was published on Saturday in Jacobin, a democratic socialist quarterly magazine that offers liberal perspectives on politics, Tlaib claimed, "There is continued dehumanization and racist policies by the State of Israel that violate international human rights, but also violate my core values of who I am as an American."
Tlaib went on to say "separate but equal" doesn't work for her and that people need to acknowledge that her ancestors were killed and were uprooted from their land. She then added that she wants there to be a recognition of what happened, including a "healing process."
"Just like we looked at the struggle for black Americans for true equality and access to opportunity to thrive. The same thing that has happened to the LGBTQ community," Tlaib said. "All of that is why I say free Palestine, that Palestinians deserve human rights."
Tlaib has a history of criticizing Israel and has been associated with multiple pro-Palestine leaders who have expressed anti-Semitic sentiments.
The Washington Free Beacon reported last month about Palestinian-American businessman Maher Abdel-qader, who was a top fundraiser for Tlaib in her 2018 run for Congress.
Abdel-qader created a Facebook group called "Palestinian American Congress," in which members posted anti-Semitic content, Holocaust denials, and speculations that Israelis are committing a Holocaust against Palestinians. Abdel-qader added Tlaib to the group in February 2018, after she announced her intention to run for Congress.
Abdel-qader was the sole moderator of the group, and referred to himself as the "Israeli ISIS." He claimed that Israel runs "concentration camps" and that Jews are not actually Jewish, and, in addition, secretly controlled the media. He also shared a video which called Jews "Satanic," and questioned whether six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
Abbas Hamideh, a "Palestinian right of return" activist with a history of calling Israel a "terrorist entity," also has ties to Tlaib. Back in January, he was invited to attend a swearing-in ceremony and private dinner for Tlaib. He tweeted out a picture of him and Tlaib standing together while holding a painting of the newly sworn-in congresswoman.
I was honored to be at Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib swearing in ceremony in #Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends and activists across the country. #Palestine #TweetYourThobe #RashidaTlaib pic.twitter.com/caJPN12ODX
— Abbas Hamideh (@Resistance48) January 12, 2019
Tlaib also accused Israel of being "racist" earlier this week while attacking a bill that aims at condemning the anti-Israel BDS movement, or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. The bill, which was co-written by Reps. Brad Schneider (D.,Ill.) and Lee Zeldin (R., N.Y.), was co-sponsored by 336 members of Congress from both parties.
".@HouseForeign wants to move forward w/ #HR246 #AntiBDS bill to silence opposition of Israel's blatantly racist policies that demonize both Palestinians & Ethiopians," Tlaib tweeted. "Our 1st Amd. right to free speech allows boycott of inhumane policies. This bill is unconstitutional."
.@HouseForeign wants to move forward w/ #HR246 #AntiBDS bill to silence opposition of Israel's blatantly racist policies that demonize both Palestinians & Ethiopians.
Our 1st Amd. right to free speech allows boycott of inhumane policies. This bill is unconstitutional. https://t.co/6VJUtBbogy
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 10, 2019
Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, has publicly voiced her support of the BDS Movement. Activists in the movement believe Israel is an apartheid state that oppresses the Palestinian people, according to the Jerusalem Post.
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