Zach Gibson / Getty Images Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) is under fire for calling for Israel to release the bodies of slain Palestinians but failing to mention that those Palestinians were killed because they attempted to commit terror.
Tlaib tweeted on August 28 a photo of the mother of a Palestinian named Mai Afana. “Mai was a mother, loving daughter & successful PhD student. She was killed by the Israeli government last June. Israel won’t release her body to her family. I am sharing Mai’s story because I began to only learn last year of this inhumane practice by the Israeli govt. Without proof, they make claims, and all to just continue to dehumanize Palestinians even after they have died. We must stand against this form of collective violence.”
Meet Mai Afana's mother, Khuloud, who is fighting to be able to bury her daughter & begin her healing. Mai was a mother, loving daughter & successful PhD student. She was killed by the Israeli government last June. Israel won't release her body to her family. pic.twitter.com/kHehtA0yeW
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 28, 2021
I am sharing Mai's story because I began to only learn last year of this inhumane practice by the Israeli govt. Without proof, they make claims, and all to just continue to dehumanize Palestinians even after they have died. We must stand against this form of collective violence.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 28, 2021
She also issued a similar tweet about a Palestinian named Ahmed Erekat, linking to a Human Rights Watch article stating that Israeli authorities “killed him seemingly without justification at a checkpoint.”
I still remember the Erekat family's plea last year to release their loving son, Ahmed's body. Here is his story. @hrw and other human rights organizations have demanded an end to this disgusting practice, and the U.S. must join them in that demand. https://t.co/coEykaXpSK
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 28, 2021
Various Jewish and pro-Israel Twitter users criticized Tlaib’s tweets.
“Why aren’t you mentioning that Mai Afana tried to ram a group of Israelis with her car and then attempted to stab them before she was killed?” Israeli activist Hen Mazzig tweeted. “Why is Rashida Tlaib unable to discuss Israel without misinformation? If you can’t make your point without lying, it’s not valid.”
Why aren’t you mentioning that Mai Afana tried to ram a group of Israelis with her car and then attempted to stab them before she was killed?
Why is Rashida Tlaib unable to discuss Israel without misinformation? If you can’t make your point without lying, it’s not valid.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) August 29, 2021
Joe Truzman, a research analyst for Long War Journal and Foundation for Defense of Democracies, similarly tweeted: “I’m not sure why the congresswoman fails to acknowledge Afana’s [terror] attack A U.S. government sanctioned Foreign Terrorist Organization in the #Gaza Strip published a statement acknowledging Mai Afana committed a ‘stabbing operation’ when she was killed by the IDF on June 16.” This statement was made via Telegram, Truzman wrote.
I'm not sure why the congresswoman fails to acknowledge Afana's attack. A U.S. government sanctioned Foreign Terrorist Organization in the #Gaza Strip published a statement acknowledging Mai Afana committed a 'stabbing operation' when she was killed by the IDF on June 16. https://t.co/IBpjcrQPkL
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 30, 2021
It was on their Telegram channel. There wasn't a more formal statement published on their website. pic.twitter.com/oWe1SrQbOC
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 30, 2021
He also noted that “militants went as far as to honor [Afana] by launching incendiary-laden balloons towards southern Israel with her name written on it.”
Militants went as far as to honor her by launching incendiary-laden balloons towards southern Israel with her name written on it. pic.twitter.com/lNNmVmotj6
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 30, 2021
Joel M. Petlin, Superintendent of the Kiryas Joel School District in New York, also tweeted: “I’m not sure if the 1200+ people who liked this Tweet by Congresswoman Tlaib were aware that Mai Afana wasn’t an innocent PhD student. She was killed while trying to run over & stab a female police officer. Or perhaps they do, & just like the Congresswoman, they just don’t care.”
I'm not sure if the 1200+ people who liked this Tweet by Congresswoman Tlaib were aware that Mai Afana wasn't an innocent PhD student. She was killed while trying to run over & stab a female police officer.
Or perhaps they do, & just like the Congresswoman, they just don't care. https://t.co/GAlwGeM9sF
— Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) August 29, 2021
Democratic Majority for Israel tweeted to Tlaib that they “share your concern.” “Are you equally concerned about the two Israeli bodies held hostage by Hamas for 7 years? Or live Israeli hostages—1 Ethiopian-born, 1 Israeli Arab—also held by Hamas? Instead of misleading one-sided attacks, why not work to arrange a trade?”
.@rashidatlaib we share your concern. Are you equally concerned about the two Israeli bodies held hostage by Hamas for 7 years? Or live Israeli hostages—1 Ethiopian-born, 1 Israeli Arab—also held by Hamas?
Instead of misleading one-sided attacks, why not work to arrange a trade? https://t.co/tkNPjYt6GK
— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) August 30, 2021
Sussex Friends of Israel tweeted, “The last 5 years has seen some pretty appalling MPs [Members of Parliament] obsessed with attacking Israel at any given opportunity. I dare say that none of them would sink to the level of Tlaib who totally overlooks that this woman was intent on murdering Jews. Actually, I think a couple would.”
The last 5 years has seen some pretty appalling MPs obsessed with attacking Israel at any given opportunity.
I dare say that none of them would sink to the level of Tlaib who totally overlooks that this woman was intent on murdering Jews.
Actually, I think a couple would. https://t.co/scdgARqpI5
— Self Declared Zionists (@SussexFriends) August 29, 2021
Human rights lawyer and International Legal Forum CEO Arsen Ostrovsky took aim at Tlaib’s tweet about Erekat. “Erekat was a terrorist who tried to car ram murder Israelis. Stop whitewashing and inciting violence against Jews. Would you @RashidaTlaib do same with Taliban?”
Erekat was a terrorist who tried to car ram murder Israelis. Stop whitewashing and inciting violence against Jews. Would you @RashidaTlaib do same with Taliban? https://t.co/gI9WYi18bS
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) August 29, 2021
The reported car-ramming attempt from June 2020 was caught on video; members of Erekat’s family claimed that he had simply lost control of the car and the video showed he was “unarmed and confused,” whereas pro-Israel Twitter voices argued that the video shows that Erekat purposely slowed down to give the car more space before speeding into the checkpoint.
George Mason University Law Professor David Bernstein tweeted that “Israel almost always” returns the bodies of slain Palestinian terrorists to their families “but shouldn’t. Family is upset that their precious murderer’s or attempted murderer’s body isn’t around to be given a hero’s funeral? Tough noogies.”
https://twitter.com/ProfDBernstein/status/1432109440854020100?s=20
A Twitter user known as “Claire” noted that in addition to supporting Erekat and Afana, Tlaib has also expressed support for Rasmea Odeh, who was convicted of two 1969 bombings in Jerusalem and was deported from Chicago to Jordan in 2017 after pleading guilty of failing to disclose her prior conviction when applying for United States citizenship in 2004, as well as Khalida Jarrar, who was sentenced to two years in prison in connection to a 2019 terror attack that killed Israeli girl Rina Shnerb, 17.
List of terrorists who either killed or attempted to kill Jews, @RashidaTlaib has publicly supported:
1- Rasmea Odeh
2- Montaser Al Shalaby
3- Khalida Jarrar
4- Mai Afana
5- Ahmed Erekat— Claire (@Claire_V0ltaire) August 28, 2021
Avi Mayer, Managing Director of Public Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, tweeted in response to Claire, “Awfully strange behavior for a member of Congress.”
Awfully strange behavior for a member of Congress. https://t.co/Upx4b7jLT8
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) August 29, 2021
Tlaib’s office did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.