Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), a member of the far-left “Squad,” has promised to defy Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and hold an anti-Israel event at the Capitol.
Tlaib, who is a vocal critic of Israel, announced her plans on Twitter on Tuesday. She said that she would be holding a “Palestinian rights” event in the Capitol Visitor Center on Wednesday.
She planned to hold an event recognizing al-Nakba — “the catastrophe” — which is how many Arabs refer to the creation of the Israeli state and the time since.
McCarthy has condemned Tlaib’s plans, saying that she is “trying to divide our country.” He has also said, “It’s wrong for members of Congress to traffic in antisemitic tropes about Israel. As long as I’m speaker, we are going to support Israel’s right to self-determination and self-defense, unequivocally and in a bipartisan fashion.”
“This event in the U.S. Capitol is canceled,” McCarthy tweeted. “Instead, I will host a bipartisan discussion to honor the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
“Speaker McCarthy wants to rewrite history and erase the existence and truth of the Palestinian people, but he has failed to do so. This event is planned to bring awareness about the Nakba and create space for Palestinian Americans who experienced the Nakba firsthand to tell their stories of trauma and survival,” Tlaib said.
“We fully plan on moving forward with this event and we will continue to ensure that Palestinian voices are heard. We will not be silenced,” she added.
Tlaib has said that she is not backing down. She said that she is “fighting for the rights of the Palestinian people” and that she will not be intimidated by McCarthy.
Organizers for the event included the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action), Project48, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Virginia Coalition for Human Rights (VCHR), Emgage Action, and Jewish Voice for Peace Action (JVP Action).
This event in the US Capitol is canceled.
Instead, I will host a bipartisan discussion to honor the 75th anniversary of the US-Israel relationship. https://t.co/s6YXltFOhu
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 10, 2023
\
NEW: @RashidaTlaib says she's not backing down from holding an event tonight commemorating the Nakba, even after @SpeakerMcCarthy said he will move to block it from happening. pic.twitter.com/ckdpGMHP27
— Daniel Boguslaw (@DRBoguslaw) May 10, 2023
