House Votes to Censure Palestinian-American Lawmaker Over Her Criticism Of ‘Israel’

By Staff, Agencies

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives voted late on Tuesday to censure the Democratic representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan – the only Palestinian American in Congress – in an extraordinary rebuke of her criticism of the ‘Israeli’ war on Gaza.

The 234-188 tally came after enough Democrats joined with Republicans to censure Tlaib, a punishment one step below expulsion from the House. The three-term congresswoman has long been a target of criticism for her views on the decades-long ‘Israeli’ occupation.

The debate on the censure resolution on Tuesday afternoon was emotional and intense. Republican representative Rich McCormick of Georgia pushed the censure measure.

Tlaib provoked criticism last week by defending the slogan “from the river to the sea,” which refers to the borders of the original Palestinian lands before the establishment of the ‘Israeli’ occupation entity.

In remarks on the House floor, Tlaib defended her criticism of the Zionist entity and urged lawmakers to join in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“I will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words,” Tlaib said. “No government is beyond criticism.”

Tlaib, who was first elected in 2018 and is a prominent member of “the Squad” of progressive female lawmakers, grew emotional as she said: “I can’t believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable.”

More than 10,000 people have been martyred in Gaza since the ‘Israeli’ war started one month ago, and almost half of the deaths are children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.