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Rep. Rashida Tlaib during the speech.
Michigan U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has relatives in the West Bank, is not a fan of Israel, nor of its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
So when the prime minister delivered a speech to Congress on Wednesday, Tlaib sat in her seat holding up a small two-sided sign: One side said, "Guilty of Genocide," the other, "War Criminal."
Some of her colleagues, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sens. Dick Durbin and Bernie Sanders chose to boycott the speech.
Tlaib has been an advocate for a cease fire and also for boycotts of Israel businesses.
She's also come under fire from her colleagues since the war in Gaza broke out after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
Last November, the House censured her for “promoting false narratives” about the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 and “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel." Once concern was her posting a video of chants, "From the River to the Sea," which many interpret as calling for the destruction of Israel. The river is the Jordan River and the sea is the Mediterranean Sea.
She responded by saying:
“From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate." She also said the censure would not silence her.
The "war criminal" sign apparently refers to the International Criminal Court’s request for arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. There were also warrants filed for Hamas leaders, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif. Israel claimed recently that it may have killed Deif.
The Palestinian health authority has reported that about 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war broke out, after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 200. The Palestinians casualty numbers do not distinguish between civilians and Hamas fighters.
Israel claims that it has killed about 14,000 Hamas fighters.
