Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib refused to apologize Wednesday for saying on Tuesday that Israel is to blame for the hospital explosion that day in Gaza, an accusation that sparked political backlash against her from Republicans as Israel denies fault.
Tlaib joined thousands of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during a solidarity rally hosted by the left-leaning group Jewish Voice for Peace at the National Mall. She was visibly emotional, at times pausing her speech to openly weep and criticizing lawmakers who have not backed a ceasefire resolution.
Who said the bombings were indiscriminate? Did I ever say most Gazans were Hamas? Have all the Gazans starved or are they still there? You can be outraged all you want, but Israel is going to defend itself from an existential threat at its borders. So long as Hamas remains in Gaza, Israel is going to seek them out with prejudice. It doesn’t matter how innocent the people are. Hamas is launching rockets at Israel from their kitchen window. Israel doesn’t have to let themselves be destroyed for Palestinians, like so many wish.