Mariam
After Ilhan Omar, it is the turn of democratic representative Rachida Tlaibs to get criticized for her comments regarding Palestinian politics and history. She has been receiving criticism from president Trump, top Republicans and Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. But as a strong political figure, she stands by her comments and defends her point of view.
Tlaib’s comments
Tlaib was asked on an episode of Yahoo News ‘Skullduggery’ Podcast about her support for a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She stated:
“There’s kind of a calming feeling I always tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” Tlaib said. She continued, “I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time, and I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways. But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, right, and it was forced on them. And so when I think about a one-state, I think about the fact that, why couldn’t we do it in a better way?”
She was asked whether a one-state solution is reckless, her reply was,
“No, I’m coming from a place of love, for equality and justice, I truly am.” “I want a safe haven for Jews,” she added. “Who doesn’t want to be safe? I am humbled by the fact that it was my ancestors that had to suffer for that to happen, but I will not turn my back and allow others to hijack it and say that it’s some extremist approach because they’re coming from a place of… whatever it is… of division, inequality.”
Out of context
Tlaib’s comments got retweeted very quickly by top Republicans and right-wing politicians. President Donald Trump said the comments were “horrible and highly insensitive” and demonstrated a “tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Dick Cheney issued a statement saying Tlaib’s comments were “sickening” and called on Democratic leaders to “take action” against her.
Tlaib has received backlash repeatedly for her past comments and positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This time she claims her words are being twisted and turned to ignite vile attacks on her and that it will not work. She tweeted: ‘All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win.’