The Michigan Democrat did not protest speaker’s incitement.
By David Hellerman, World Israel News
U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) attended a Naqba rally which called for violence against Israelis, the Jerusalem Post reported on Friday.
Speakers at the May 15 rally in Dearborn, Mich. included Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani.
“Everyone should fight within his means,” Siblani said. “They will fight with stones. Others will fight with guns. Others will fight with planes. Drones. And others will fight with rockets! And others will fight in their voice. And others will fight with their hands and say free, free Palestine!”
He went on to say, “They thought that 1948 was the demarcation line. They thought we forgot. Now surprise, Fedayeen are setting out from the land of 1948. They are striking them with knives and their bare hands, and they are victorious!”
A video of the speech posted on social media showed the crowd applauding.
Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, did not protest Siblani’s remarks.
Jews denounced Tlaib for condoning Siblani’s incitement.
“By sharing a platform with such a demagogue, Tlaib has given an air of legitimacy to his appalling calls for bloodshed in America,” said Jonah Cohen, communications director of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.
“Extremist rhetoric like his has led to a spike in antisemitic hate crimes across the nation,” he added.
On social media, a person with the Twitter handle wurzel260654 tweeted to Tlaib, “Why are you supporting Siblani who was inciting violence to murder Jews. Will you condemn him and have nothing more to do with him.”
The tweet included a mention of the FBI and Presidential twitter handles, implying Siblani be investigated for incitement.
Nakba, or catastrophe, is how the Palestinians mark Israel’s founding, which falls on May 15 on the Gregorian calendar.
Tlaib recently introduced a House resolution for the U.S. to formally recognize the “Palestinian Nakba” and what the Palestinians call a “Right of Return” for their refugees. Her resolution is not expected to pass, but is regarded as a barometer of Democratic support for the Palestinians.