Palestinian-American Representative Rashida Tlaib is still displaying a Palestinian flag outside of her House office following the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists over the weekend.
Over the weekend, Palestinian terror group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing at least 900 Israelis (in addition to 11 Americans), injuring thousands more, and taking dozens hostage.
The progressive Michigan Democrat failed to specifically condemn Hamas in her statement about the horrific violence that occurred in Israel over the weekend, and instead called upon the US government to stop funding Israel.
Tlaib and other members of the The Squad have made their position on Israel abundantly clear over the years. Several of them boycotted Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s address to Congress earlier this year.
According to the Washington Examiner, the flag that stands outside Tlaib’s office has been there for at least the majority of the current Congress.
In total, eight progressive members of the Democratic caucus failed to back Israel against the existential threat it is facing: Reps. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Greg Casar, and Summer Lee all came up short over the weekend.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib failed to specifically condemn Hamas in her statement about the horrific violence that occurred in Israel over the weekend, and instead called upon the US government to stop funding Israel
The Palestinian flag that the Squad member has on display outside of her office remained there Monday following the weekend of terror in Israel
Members who failed to stand with Israel following Hamas’ terror attacks from Top Left to Bottom Right: Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Greg Casar, Summer Lee
In her statement following the attacks Tlaib said the path forward ‘must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance.’
‘The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere, should have to suffer or live in fear of violence.’
Tlaib’s office did not post her statement on either of the congresswoman’s X accounts. But underneath older posts, users have begun to questions the rep’s failure to condemn the Palestinian terror organization.
‘Are you going to condemn Hamas?’ wrote one user.
Another attached an image of Tlaib’s statement and wrote, ‘This is an apology for terrorism.’
‘Terrorist sympathizer…’ wrote a third.
Tlaib is one of eight members of the Democratic caucus whose statement on the barbaric terror attacks executed by Hamas explicitly criticized Israel for the situation.
The other members of the progressive Squad, who some online are calling the ‘Hamas caucus,’ including Rep. Cori Bush, Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Rep. Greg Casar, and Rep. Summer Lee.
Smoke rises from Gaza following a retaliatory Israeli airstrike on October 9, 2023
The aftermath of a large explosion in Gaza, as Israel ramps up its war effort following attacks that have left more than 900 Israelis dead
Bush’s statement following the invasion called for the US to ‘end support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid.’
Under Bush’s statement on X, dozens of damning comments flooded into the replies section.
‘Cori Bush mourns the death of the Palestinian terrorists and equates that to the brutalities and butcherings the Palestinians committed of Jewish civilians,’ wrote Marina Medvin, a conservative defense attorney.
Another commenter offered the words of advice: ‘When people tell you who and what they are … believe them.’
Public Safety expert Benjamin Mannes simply wrote: ‘Antisemite.’
Christopher Hale, whose X bio identifies him as a Democratic operative, wrote: ‘Congresswoman Bush, I am a Democrat, but this is like putting out a statement mourning the deaths of the nineteen hijackers along with the 2900 murdered in the 9/11 attacks.
‘The grandchildren of the Holocaust deserve stronger support against terrorism than this.’
Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, who along with Tlaib one of the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress, did identify Hamas in her condemnation of the violence in Israel.
‘I condemn the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas.’
‘Such senseless violence will only repeat the back and forth cycle we’ve seen,’ she wrote.
At the beginning of this Congress, Omar was kicked off the House Foreign Affairs Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who justified the call by citing Omar’s past comments on Israel
She also expressed compassion for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
‘Reminder, Gaza doesn’t have shelters or an iron dome and to please pray for them,’ the progressive lawmaker wrote on X (formerly Twitter). ‘May peace prevail in the region and move us towards a moral awakening to care about the human suffering we are seeing. Palestinians are human beings who have been in besieged and are deserving of protection from the international community.’
Some were moved to remind Omar that Hamas, the democratically elected leaders of Gaza, should have considered spending government funding on shelters instead of rockets used to attack Israel.
On Monday, Omar continued to stoke outrage when she publicly called for the US to reconsider its policy of giving Israel ‘unconditional weapons sales and military aid.’
She also suggested that Israel, rather than Hamas, is the entity committing war crimes.
In a lengthy X thread, Omar wrote: ‘The Israeli Defense Minister has called Palestinians ‘human animals’ and promised to cut off all electricity, all food, and all fuel to civilians in Gaza.’
‘Instead of continuing unconditional weapons sales and military aid to Israel, I urge the United States at long last to use its diplomatic might to push for peace,’ she wrote.
Omar was met with another round of backlash, including from New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who responded: ‘Israel was just brutally attacked by terrorists, funded by Iran, and you want to cut off funding and military aid and equipment.’
‘You are out of your mind and unfit to serve in the House of Representatives. This is why you were removed from the Foreign Affairs committee.’
At the beginning of this Congress, Omar was kicked off the House Foreign Affairs Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who justified the call by citing Omar’s past comments on Israel.
Mediate writer Isaac Schorr also condemned Omar’s latest thoughts about the conflict: ‘Ilhan calls for the U.S. to abandon Israel as Hamas parades rape victims survivors throughout the streets of Gaza. May God have mercy on your soul.’
Hamas claimed to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel from the occupied Gaza Strip, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for an ‘immediate ceasefire and de-escalation’ after Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday
Other Squad members, including Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, called for an ‘immediate ceasefire and de-escalation’ in the region.
‘Today is devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights. I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms. No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region,’ wrote AOC.
Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley said: ‘These devastating attacks on Israelis are deeply alarming and my heart breaks for the victims & their loved ones. We need an immediate ceasefire & de-escalation. It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region.’
Her statement was slammed for dismissing the need for Israel to defend itself.
‘The squad telling Israel to stand down after it was attacked and hundreds of its citizens were massacred,’ responded one X user to the statement.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman said: ‘I strongly condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas and am saddened by the loss of precious lives, especially on the holy day of Simchat Torah We need a way to end this deadly violence that is killing and traumatizing generations of Israelis and Palestinians alike – including the blockade of Gaza.’
‘I have been to the Gaza border and know that Israelis and Palestinians are constantly living in fear. We must work harder to ensure peace in the region.’
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz replied: ‘Bowman can’t merely condemn terrorism. He has to include his ignorant criticism of Israel.’
Inside their own caucus, the eight reps are taking heat as well. New York Congressman Ritchie Torres called Tlaib and Bush’s statements ‘reprehensible and repulsive’ for glorifying ‘as ‘resistance’ the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.’
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy condemned House members who have chosen to stand against Israel following the attack.
‘Allowing the elected members of this body to speak antisemitism and not condemn it is wrong,’ he said at a press conference, adding that antisemitism in the House must be confronted.
Squad members Rep. Summer Lee and Rep. Greg Casar also delivered lackluster statements following the inhumane Hamas attacks that have now been seen the world over.
Casar, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America – a group that rallied in support of ‘Palestine’ on Sunday in New York City’s Times Square, where members cheered on Hamas’ terror campaign – wrote in a three sentence statement:
‘We must de-escalate this before the cycle of violence worsens further – and work toward a lasting peace without terrorist attacks, occupation, & war.’
Lee, formerly of the DSA and a newer member of the Squad, condemned the Hamas-led violence before singling out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ‘reportedly already target[ing] densely populated civilian areas.’
Hamas’ surprise attack on Saturday morning came just one day after the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Yom Kippur War, which saw Israel battle existential threats from hostile neighbors led by Egypt and Syria.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately declared a state of war and has since promised ‘mighty vengeance’ on Israel’s attackers that will end in victory for his country.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk