Members of Metro Detroit’s Jewish community have called on Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib to walk back her defense of the slogan “From the river to the sea” as an “Aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.”
“I really ask Representative Tlaib, who is a Palestinian American, who really could build those bridges is doing anything but by using these terrible, painful slogans that are antisemitic because they’re about demonizing and eliminating the Jewish state,” said Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC executive director Rabbi Asher Lopatin.
Some Democrats in the state weighed on her comments, including Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is Jewish.
“You are not helping your cause at all by utilizing the type of language that is pouring salt into wounds for us,” said Nessel.
“I don’t agree with the congresswoman’s sentiments or statement,” said Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
But Tlaib is not backing down.
“My colleagues are much more focused on silencing me—the only Palestinian American voice in Congress—than they are on ending the horrific attacks on civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank right now,” said Tlaib. “Instead of attacking me and distorting my words, they should listen to their constituents and call for a ceasefire to save innocent lives.”
Khalid Turaani, a Palestinian American, co-founded the Michigan Task Force for Palestine.
He came to Tlaib’s defense, saying her detractors are trying to distract from the plight of the Palestinian people.
“Rashida Tlaib has been a voice for the Palestinians when there are hardly any voices for the Palestinians, but then to try to demonize her and to try to change the subject about the ethnic cleansing that is ongoing in Palestine against the people of Gaza, I think is disingenuous and appalling,” said Turaani.