Tlaib labels Israel an ‘apartheid state’ in impassioned floor speech

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) harshly denounced a House resolution supporting Israel in a floor speech on Tuesday, the day before Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address a joint meeting of Congress.

“Israel is an apartheid state. To assert otherwise, Mr. Speaker, in the face of this body of evidence, is an attempt to deny the reality and an attempt to normalize violence of apartheid,” Tlaib said.

“Don’t forget: This body, this Congress, supported the South African apartheid regime, and it was bipartisan as well,” she added.

Tlaib, who is of Palestinian heritage, is one of a slate of progressive members of Congress who plan to skip Herzog’s speech to Congress on Wednesday out of protest against the Israeli government.

The protests come as violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has increased in recent months, and the Israeli government faces internal strife over attempted judicial reforms.

Tlaib pointed out that the United Nations as well as advocacy groups Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and B’tselem have labeled Israel an apartheid state.

The resolution supporting Israel passed overwhelmingly, with nine members of Congress — mostly Democratic members of the progressive “Squad” — voting against. It specifically states that Israel is “not a racist or apartheid state.”

On Saturday, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said Israel is a “racist state,” vowing to vote against the resolution and skip Herzog’s speech. 

Those comments sparked calls for action from Republicans who believed the remarks were antisemitic.

Democrats have dismissed the outrage as a political squabble, but it has caused some rifts within the party.

“There is a difference between criticizing the right of Israel to exist, which is beyond the pale, and criticizing the conduct of the Israeli government, which I think is horrible,” Rep.  Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who is Jewish, said Tuesday.

Herzog met with President Biden on Tuesday.