Squad member a recently censured congresswoman Rashida Tlaib spoke with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes Wednesday night about the meaning of the Palestinian chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Tlaib insists that the phrase is about peaceful coexistence, despite the fact that it’s actually calling for the elimination of Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
“Explain what you mean by it,” Hayes asks Tlaib.
“Don’t distort the words of my residence. Many people in this movement for human rights for Palestinians have always centered around coexistence. You hear them calling for that. You hear them saying no matter your faith, your ethnicity, your background, you should be able to live without fear, without discrimination, without this inequality that Netanyahu and his extremist party have been pushing.”
Watch the clip above.
Tlaib was censured this week by the House of Representatives for antisemitic remarks —including the chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Many Democrats crossed the aisle to condemn Tlaib.
The resolution was introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) after a similar resolution from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was voted down earlier in the week due to the use of the word “insurrection.”
McCormick’s resolution passed 234-188, with four members voting present.
“This is not about a First Amendment issue. Rashida Tlaib has a right to spew antisemitic vitriol, even call for the destruction of the Jewish state,” McCormick told members.
“But the House of Representatives also has the right to make it clear that her hate speech does not reflect the opinion of the chamber. And that’s what this resolution is about,” he said.
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