By The opinion
08 Nov 2023, 00:06 AM EST
The House of Representatives voted 234-188 Tuesday to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for her comments related to Israel and the Palestinians, according to NPR.
Twenty-two Democrats joined Republicans in voting to formally reprimand Tlaib for her comments.
The move, which accuses Tlaib of “promoting false narratives about the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and calling for the destruction of the State of Israel,” is the second attempt to formally punish Tlaib for her comments on the Israel’s war against Hamas.
Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, He has made several controversial comments about the war. She has defended her comments and says she is simply using free speech.
Censorship is a symbolic action in which the legislator who has been censured is called to the full House while the Speaker of the House reads the text of the measure.
The resolution, which was introduced by Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick, advanced earlier Tuesday after a Democratic-led effort to block the measure failed.
Tlaib has defended herself against the censorship attempts, arguing that they are an attempt to silence her and saying that her “colleagues have resorted to distorting my positions in resolutions full of blatant lies.”
Tlaib responded to accusations that she shared a slogan calling for violence against Israel, saying on the House floor that was calling for a ceasefire.
“My grandmother, like all Palestinians, just wants to live her life with the freedom and human dignity that we all deserve,” he said.
Following the vote to advance the censure resolution, Tlaib gave an emotional speech on the House floor, arguing that his criticism of the Israeli government should not be confused with anti-Semitismaccording to CNN.
“It is important to separate people and governments. No government is free from criticism. “The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is anti-Semitic sets a very dangerous precedent and has been used to silence diverse voices defending human rights across our nation,” Tlaib said.
He became emotional and struggled to speak after saying, “I can’t believe I have to say this, but the Palestinian people are not disposable.”
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