Appearing on Friday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central.” Democrat Representative from Massachusetts Jake Auchincloss unloaded on Rep. Rashida Tlaib and her fellow “Squad” members, saying that those “outlier Democratic lawmakers” don’t speak for the majority of the Democratic Party on the Israel situation.
Rep. Auchincloss’ comments came after Tlaib and others in her anti-Israeli milieu blamed Israel for bombing a hospital in Gaza that most mainstream reports and the Israeli government claim was actually hit by a faulty Islamic Jihad rocket. Tlaib also denounced Biden for his stance on Israel.
Speaking on the matter, Rep. Auchincloss said, “Outlier Democratic lawmakers who spread disinformation and falsely conflate Hamas with the Palestinian people do not speak for the Democratic Party. The leader of the Democratic Party, Joe Biden, the leader of House Democrats, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of Senate Democrats, Sen. Chuck Schumer, they are the ones who represent the Democratic Party’s position on standing with Israel.“
Continuing, he added, “And, in that vein, it is forceful and unequivocal. Israel has a right and a responsibility to defend itself against terrorists who have in their charter the destruction of the Jewish state and the murder of Jews. And the United States has a responsibility to stand with our fellow democracy in the Middle East.”
Similarly, Florida Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz condemned Tlaib for her comments about the hospital disaster, saying, “That’s a vile position to take. She should at least pull those tweets down, instead of remaining entrenched in a position that is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Tlaib, in the tweet at issue, said, “Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.”
Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that. @POTUS this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate.
Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many… https://t.co/mZYoifT7bj
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) October 17, 2023
In another post, Tlaib said, “It is @POTUS’ and @SecBlinken’s job to protect ALL Americans. They are failing. From the beginning, they did not make moves to protect Palestinian Americans. Zakaria, a constituent in my district is heartbroken because he feels like his country has abandoned him and his family.”
In a speech on the National Mall condemning the Biden Administration’s stance, Tlaib said, “As an American, not just as a member of the United States Congress, I am ashamed. I am ashamed that they’re saying, ‘not yet. Maybe next week.’ … How many more have to die?”
She added, “The American Jewish community in my district, and all of you here. I just know how much courage it’s taken to speak up. Many of you have been targeted. You’re being gas lit. Some people are losing their jobs. Folks are getting events canceled. Literally, their First Amendment right wiped away for standing up and saying that children deserve to live. It is literally inhumane for my colleagues to allow that to continue and say nothing.”
Watch that rally here:
Auchincloss also got involved when Harvard students sided with Gaza after the horrific attack on Israel. He wrote, on S (formerly Twitter), “Harvard’s leadership has failed. The president and deans refuse to denounce the antisemitism of Harvard student groups. Instead of moral clarity and courage, they offer word salad approved by committee. I am ashamed of my alma mater.”
Featured image credit: By VOA – https://www.voanews.com/a/palestinian-american-congressional-candidate-source-of-west-bank-pride/4519493.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75701495
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