Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a member of "the Squad" of far-left wing Democrats, took to the House floor Tuesday after her colleagues on both sides of the aisle advanced a measure to censure her for repeated antisemitic comments in the wake of Hamas' massacre of more than 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7.
Tlaib became emotional while defending Palestinians in Gaza but also lashed out at her fellow lawmakers.
"I will not be silenced, and I will not let you distort my words," Tlaib said. "No government is beyond criticism. The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it's been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation."
The House voted 213-208 against a Democrat-led attempt to block the measure. One Democrat voted against blocking censure, Bradley Schneider of Illinois, and six Republicans voted for it (Ken Buck of Colorado; John Duarte, Mike Garcia and Tom McClintock of California; Thomas Massie of Kentucky; and Ryan Zinke of Montana). A final vote on censure is expected Wednesday.
It's the second attempt to censure Tlaib – 23 Republicans voted with 199 Democrats to stop the first attempt last week. Since then, Tlaib released a video on X extolling the rallying cry of terrorists who want to eradicate Israel — "from the river to the sea." In the video, Tlaib accused President Joe Biden of promoting genocide.
"I can't believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable," Tlaib said Tuesday, again becoming emotional. "The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me. What I don't understand is why the cries of Palestinians sound different to you all. We cannot lose our shared humanity, Mr. Chair. I hear the voices of advocates in Israel and Palestine across America and around the world for peace."
Earlier Tuesday, Tlaib posted a lengthy statement to X, during which she claimed she has "repeatedly denounced the horrific targeting and killing of civilians by Hamas and the Israeli government, and have mourned the Israeli and Palestinian lives lost."
Any rebuke Tlaib might have made against Hamas could not be found. However, when Israel was first attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7, Tlaib blamed Israel, pinning the massacre on their "apartheid." Fellow Squad members Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., denounced Hamas, but Tlaib did not.