Rashida Tlaib accuses Biden of ‘cheering on’ Netanyahu’s ‘ethnic cleansing’ in latest remarks

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) accused President Joe Biden of “cheering on” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists, which she claims is an “ethnic cleansing.”

Tlaib made the comments going after the leader of her party shortly after the House of Representatives voted in favor of a $14.3 billion aid package for the Jewish state in its fight against Hamas. In a lengthy statement issued on Thursday, the Michigan Democrat made various claims, including that Israel is committing “war crimes.”

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“The American people do not support funding for war crimes — like the use of white phosphorus bombs — and are calling for a ceasefire. As the Israeli government carries out ethnic cleansing in Gaza, President Biden is cheering on Netanyahu, whose own citizens are protesting his refusal to support a ceasefire. We must be laser focused on saving lives, no matter their faith or ethnicity,” Tlaib said.

She also reaffirmed her attacks on Biden over his skepticism of death numbers being put out by the Palestinian Health Ministry, which is overseen by Hamas. The Hamas-run agency has had a poor reputation with reporting death tolls during the current conflict, including initially claiming that a blast at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital had killed 500 people before later evidence showed the number of dead was likely far lower.

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

“The number of children killed in Gaza in just three weeks has surpassed the annual number of children killed across the world’s conflict zones since 2019 — yet instead of helping end this violence, President Biden baselessly casts doubt on the Palestinian death toll. U.S. funding for the Israeli military with no humanitarian conditions will take us farther away from ending the violence and reaching peace,” Tlaib said.

Tlaib’s statement calls for a ceasefire in the conflict but also goes further in demanding that the alleged “dehumanizing system of apartheid” in Israel be dismantled.

“Achieving a just and lasting peace requires lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the dehumanizing system of apartheid. Not only do some of my colleagues want to send more weapons to carry out war crimes and violations of international law, but they want to do it by providing tax breaks to billionaires and undermining crucial investments in our communities. Instead of funding more bombs with American taxpayer dollars, our leaders should be calling for a ceasefire now, before this violence claims thousands more lives,” Tlaib said.

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The Michigan Democrat has been a vocal critic of Israel and was one of nine Democrats and one Republican to vote against a resolution affirming support for Israel and denouncing the Hamas terrorist attacks on the country.

Tlaib is one of several Democrats calling for a ceasefire in the conflict, an idea that may have some popularity among more mainstream members of the party. Biden expressed interest in a “pause” to “allow prisoners” to get out of Gaza earlier this week.