On Tuesday night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for her recent antisemitic comments in response to Israel's war against Hamas militants.
The largely symbolic measure, introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), passed by a vote of 234-188.
Tlaib drew bipartisan criticism after posting a video on social media attacking President Joe Biden for his support of Israel. In the video, she used the phrase "From the river to the sea," a slogan often used by Hamas and other Palestinian groups that is widely interpreted as a call for the destruction of Israel and the expulsion of Jews from the region.
In response to the backlash, Tlaib defended her use of the phrase, claiming that it is an "aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence." However, her explanation was met with skepticism, with many critics pointing out that the phrase is inherently antisemitic as it denies the Jewish right to self-determination.
The Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish civil rights organization, condemned Tlaib's remarks, stating that the phrase "From the river to the sea" is a "fundamentally a call for a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, territory that includes the State of Israel, which would mean the dismantling of the Jewish state."
The censure vote is a sign of the House's disapproval of Tlaib's comments, and it is likely to further damage her already strained relationship with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
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