Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib refused to apologize Wednesday for saying Tuesday that Israel is to blame for the hospital explosion that day in Gaza, an accusation that sparked political backlash against Tlaib from Republicans as Israel denies fault.
Tlaib joined thousands of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during a solidarity rally hosted by the left-leaning group Jewish Voice for Peace at the National Mall. She was visibly emotional, at times pausing her speech to openly weep and criticizing lawmakers who have not backed a ceasefire resolution.
“As an American, not just as a member of the United States Congress, I am ashamed. I am ashamed that they’re saying, ‘not yet. Maybe next week.’ … How many more have to die?” Tlaib said.
She also addressed the backlash, applauding attendees for the “courage it’s taken to speak up.”
“The American Jewish community in my district, and all of you here. I just know how much courage it’s taken to speak up. Many of you have been targeted. You’re being gas lit. Some people are losing their jobs. Folks are getting events canceled. Literally, their First Amendment right wiped away for standing up and saying that children deserve to live. It is literally inhumane for my colleagues to allow that to continue and say nothing,” Tlaib said.
Tlaib also slammed President Joe Biden for his support for Israel’s actions since the Hamas terrorist attack.
“To my president, to our president … I want him to know, as a Palestinian American and somebody in Muslim faith, I’m not going to forget this. And I think a lot of people are not going to forget this,” Tlaib said.
Rep. Ilhan Omar is also facing criticism from Republicans over similar comments Tuesday that Israel is to blame for the hospital explosion that day in Gaza as Israel denies fault. As information about the hospital blast was initially being reported, Tlaib tweeted on Tuesday afternoon, “Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.”
Omar tweeted on Tuesday afternoon, “Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific. @POTUS needs to push for an immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”
The backlash also showed continuing fault lines within the Democratic Party on Israel, with the two representatives standing out in criticizing Israel’s government as other Democrats have said they do not believe Israel was responsible for the explosion.
Tlaib and Omar were the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and have been among Israel’s strongest critics. Their comments have at times been alleged by colleagues and others in congressional leadership to be antisemitic. Some of the criticism leveled against Tlaib and Omar over past comments has also been criticized as being inflected with Islamophobic or racist rhetoric.
But Biden said in remarks on Wednesday that the blast “appears [like] it was done by the other team.”
The Biden administration’s “current assessment,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson tweeted Wednesday morning, “is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday.”
Tlaib’s and Omar’s tweets were still live as of 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Republican lawmakers called on the lawmakers to apologize and retract their tweets.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., wrote in a statement on Wednesday that Tlaib and others should apologize for their remarks about the hospital explosion.
“It is appalling and unacceptable that Democrats in Congress partook in Hamas’ misinformation campaign. … Rep. Tlaib and her radical colleagues helped spread this insidious lie far and wide, without remorse, and as of this morning have yet to take down their posts, issue an apology, or place blame on the actual perpetrators with the same conviction,” Lawler wrote.
Lawler also said he hopes Tlaib and colleagues “can bring themselves to see this ugly truth, the hateful environment they have stoked, and…
Read More: Tlaib refuses to apologize for blaming Israel for Gaza hospital blast, attacks