In a defiant move that further escalates political tensions, Michigan Democrat and prominent member of the progressive “Squad,” Representative Rashida Tlaib, reasserts her intention to host a contentious event critiquing Israel’s foundation.
This decision comes despite House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s attempts to thwart her plans, insisting Palestinian Americans “will not be silenced.”
Tlaib, undeterred by the Speaker’s cancellation of her event, plans to proceed with a gathering aimed at acknowledging the “Nakba.” This Palestinian term, translating to “catastrophe,” references the displacement of Palestinians following Israel’s establishment in 1948.
Tlaib boldly stated on Wednesday, “Let the headlines read ‘McCarthy tries to erase Palestine but fails.’”
McCarthy, having labeled Tlaib’s event as “antisemitic,” preemptively booked the originally intended venue on the House side of the Capitol. Instead, he plans to use the space for a bipartisan event celebrating Israel’s 75th anniversary on May 14.
Late Tuesday, McCarthy expressed on Twitter, “This event at the U.S. Capitol is canceled. Instead, I will host a bipartisan discussion to honor the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
“It’s wrong for members of Congress to traffic in anti-Semitic tropes about Israel,” McCarthy told the Free Beacon. “As long as I’m Speaker, we are going to support Israel’s right to self-determination and self-defense, unequivocally and in a bipartisan fashion.”
In response, Tlaib accused McCarthy of attempting to “erase the existence and truth of the Palestinian people.” She argued that her event aimed to shed light on the Nakba and offer a platform for Palestinian Americans directly affected to share their narratives of trauma and resilience.
Tlaib stated, “The Nakba is a well-documented historical event that is recognized by the United Nations. We cannot allow the same people who want to ban books and erase history simply because they’re uncomfortable with the truth to silence Palestinian voices.”
McCarthy’s office has yet to comment on Tlaib’s statements.
Tlaib has been consistently critical of Israel, labeling it an “apartheid state” earlier in May, and alleging it was founded on the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
Related: Twitter’s New Fact Check Destroys Anti-Israel Dem Rashida Tlaib’s Tweet Instantly
Her remarks faced widespread condemnation on Twitter, with many using the “community notes” fact-check feature to dispute her claims.
Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, dismissed Tlaib’s comments as “antisemitic lies.”
Erdan contended, “Tlaib’s ignorance and hatred toward the Jewish people and the State of Israel know no bounds. The facts are clear: the Arabs rejected the U.N.’s resolution to establish a Jewish state and started a war to annihilate the Jews in Israel.”
Tlaib’s event controversy unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing conflict in the Middle East. On Wednesday, Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza.
In response, Israeli airstrikes targeted and killed three senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. Tragically, these strikes also resulted in at least ten civilian casualties, as Palestinian militants often operate within densely populated residential areas.