Rashida Tlaib Slammed By Republicans Over Comments On Holocaust And Palestinian Solution
Michigan’s Democratic freshman representative, Rashida Tlaib, is being slammed by House Republicans over remarks she made during an interview on Yahoo News’s Skullduggery podcast published Saturday, according to The Washington Post.
In the interview, Tlaib spoke at length about her feelings towards the Holocaust and discussed her support for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. When she was asked her opinion on the matter, Tlaib began her response by pointing out that the United States commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day two weeks ago. She then went on to discuss her Palestinian ancestors, saying that she was grateful to them because their sacrifices led to the creation of a “safe haven” for Jews — Israel.
“There’s, you know, there’s a kind of a calming feeling, I always tell folks, when I think of the Holocaust and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors — Palestinians — who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, had been wiped out. I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time,” Tlaib said.
She went on to add that the events of history have informed her solution to the problem.
Tlaib’s comments were picked up by the Israeli website, Haaretz, which ran it under the article title, “Tlaib Says She Is Humbled Her Ancestors Provided ‘Safe Haven’ for Jews After Holocaust.”
That‘s why they massacred Jews during the Holocaust and started a revolt against the British to prevent Jews from entering, and why their leader told Hitler kill Jews, don’t send them here. To provide a safe haven. Makes perfect sense ?@RashidaTlaib? https://t.co/ohA43vcz2c
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) May 12, 2019
Tlaib’s comments were widely shared by Republicans on social media who accused the Michigan congresswoman of anti-Semitism. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise slammed Tlaib for her remarks, saying that nothing about the Holocaust tragedy, during which six million Jews lost their lives, was “calming.”
“There is no justification for the twisted and disgusting comments made by Rashida Tlaib just days after the annual Day of Holocaust Remembrance,” he said.
Liz Cheney, one of the most powerful Republicans in the House, urged Democratic leaders to take action against Tlaib for her remarks. Cheney said that Tlaib’s comments were evidence of growing anti-Semitism within the Democratic ranks.
“I call on Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer to finally take action against Representative Tlaib and other members of the Democratic caucus who are spreading vile anti-Semitism,” she wrote on Twitter.
These comments ?@RashidaTlaib? on the #Holocaust are inhumanly vile. Any Palestinian, Muslim activist who doesn’t reject this Islamist bigotry is also a bigot.
“Tlaib says she’s humbled her ancestors provided 'safe haven' for Jews after Holocaust” https://t.co/i3mxCXUuPD
— M. Zuhdi Jasser ???? ???? (@DrZuhdiJasser) May 12, 2019
In light of the growing criticism, Tlaib defended her remarks on Twitter, saying that Republicans were once again twisting her words out of context in an attempt to paint her as an anti-Semitic, something they were accused of doing with the only other Muslim representative in the House, Ilhan Omar, as well.
“Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win,” Tlaib wrote on Twitter.
