Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) tweeted on November 22 that she hoped President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State Antony Blinken doesn’t infringe upon her right to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tlaib’s tweet was in response to Faiz Shakur, who was Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign manager, calling Blinken “a solid choice.”
“So long as he doesn’t suppress my First Amendment right to speak out against Netanyahu’s racist and inhumane policies,” Tlaib replied in a quote tweet. “The Palestinian people deserve equality and justice.”
So long as he doesn't suppress my First Amendment right to speak out against Netanyahu's racist and inhumane policies. The Palestinian people deserve equality and justice. https://t.co/SLhT3yYc4i
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 23, 2020
She subsequently tweeted on November 23: “[Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo has moved to suppress BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions], a peaceful protest movement protected by the 1st Amendment. I hope that Mr. Blinken and President-Elect Biden’s Administration will change course from [President Donald] Trump’s State Department & not target or suppress support of Palestinian human rights.”
Sec. Pompeo has moved to suppress BDS, a peaceful protest movement protected by the 1st Amendment. I hope that Mr. Blinken and President-Elect Biden’s Administration will change course from Trump’s State Department & not target or suppress support of Palestinian human rights. https://t.co/b4fEZARguR
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 23, 2020
On November 19, the State Department classified the BDS movement as anti-Semitic and announced that it will take steps to ensure that foreign aid does not go to organizations that boycott Israel or support BDS.
Pro-Israel Twitter users criticized Tlaib’s tweets as being anti-Semitic.
“If a Jewish American politician tweeted this, they would be immediately accused of being more loyal to Israel than the people they represent…by Rashida Tlaib,” Israel-based writer Hen Mazzig tweeted.
If a Jewish American politician tweeted this, they would be immediately accused of being more loyal to Israel than the people they represent…by Rashida Tlaib. https://t.co/isKoNIyrkr
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 23, 2020
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who also heads the Americans Against Antisemitism watchdog, similarly tweeted, “Biden names a Jew to his cabinet. What’s Rashida’s response?! ‘Welp, as long as that Judische pick doesn’t stop me from focusing my hatred on one country, Israel, then he’s a good Jew!’ It’s not your 1A right you’re trying to protect but your vile Jew-hatred!”
Biden names a Jew to his cabinet
What’s Rashida’s response?! “Welp, as long as that Judische pick doesn’t stop me from focusing my hatred on one country, Israel, then he’s a good Jew!”
It’s not your 1A right you’re trying to protect but your vile Jew-hatred!
That’s ALL yours! https://t.co/JegzY5ZCtm
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) November 23, 2020
International human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky also tweeted to Tlaib, “You are just obsessed with Israel and BDS. Why don’t you focus a little more on your district, than engaging in mild Antisemitism and bigotry.”
You are just obsessed with Israel and BDS. Why don’t you focus a little more on your district, than engaging in mild Antisemitism and bigotry. pic.twitter.com/zDDlzAUELJ
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) November 23, 2020
Mike Harris, one of the founders, of San Francisco Voice for Israel, tweeted to Tlaib, “And as long as your interpretation of ‘justice’ for the Palestinians requires the elimination of Jewish statehood, then it’s not Blinken or Biden standing in the way of peace. Rather, it’s the Palestinian leadership and its enablers in the West.”
https://twitter.com/DrMikeH49/status/1330731970465128449?s=20
The progressive Jewish group IfNotNow, on the other hand, praised Tlaib “for speaking out against the administration’s inhumane and dangerous policies, and pushing the new one to reverse course and do better” and asked her to “sign our petition calling on @JoeBiden to reverse @SecPompeo’s pro-occupation actions on day 1.”
Thank you for speaking out against the administration's inhumane and dangerous policies, and pushing the new one to reverse course and do better.
Will you sign our petition calling on @JoeBiden to reverse @SecPompeo's pro-occupation actions on day 1?https://t.co/6NSzNbjxjD
— IfNotNow🔥 (@IfNotNowOrg) November 23, 2020
Tlaib is scheduled to participate in a December 15 panel called “Dismantling Antisemitism, Winning Justice” along with Temple University Professor Marc Lamont Hill, author Peter Beinart and University of Chicago Professor Barbara Ransby; IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace are among the organizations that are co-sponsoring the panel. Many Jewish and pro-Israel commentators have criticized the panel for “making a mockery of a discussion on antisemitism for not including a variety of Jewish voices.”
Tlaib tweeted, “When it comes to standing up for Palestinian rights & human dignity, our intentions are questioned even though we probably are some of the biggest fighters against antisemitism.”
We all are standing against all forms of hate + bigotry. When it comes to standing up for Palestinian rights & human dignity, our intentions are questioned even though we probably are some of the biggest fighters against antisemitism. This is an attempt to police and silence us. https://t.co/CrnSxHeE2s
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 23, 2020
