U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, criticized American universities for their responses to anti-Israel protests on campuses, where incidents of antisemitic behavior have been reported. Tlaib expressed concern over students facing retaliation for protesting against what they perceive as genocide, citing examples from various universities across the country.
One such incident involved Isra Hirsi, daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, who claimed to have been suspended from Barnard College in New York City before being arrested for protesting against Israel at Columbia University.
Tlaib, who has Palestinian roots, has been vocal in her criticism of Israel and its leaders, particularly in the context of the conflict with Hamas. She accused the U.S. of actively participating in what she described as a genocide and called on the Biden administration to cease arms supplies to Israel.
Despite her concerns about campus responses to protests, Tlaib has faced criticism for not addressing instances of antisemitism targeting Jewish students at these events. Some protests have featured calls for an 'intifada' and the destruction of Israel.
Tlaib's comments on Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict have drawn rebuke from fellow Democrats. In the past, she used the phrase 'from the river to the sea,' which some Jewish groups consider antisemitic due to its association with the eradication of Israel. Tlaib defended the phrase as a call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.
Critics have accused Tlaib of antisemitism for her stance on Israel, her calls for a ceasefire, and her perceived silence on the targeting of Jewish students. Following a Hamas attack on Israel, Tlaib expressed condolences for both Palestinian and Israeli lives lost but appeared to blame the Israeli government for the attack.
Tlaib has consistently accused Israel of genocide and refused to apologize for controversial statements, such as alleging that Israel targeted a hospital in Gaza with an airstrike. She emphasized the need to recognize the impact of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid, calling for an end to unconditional funding to Israel to break the cycle of violence.
