Multiple members of the Democratic Party are calling out Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., after she attempted to justify the pro-Palestinian chant, “From the river to the sea,” calling it an “aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence.”
Tlaib posted her interpretation of the chant to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Nov. 3.
“From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate,” the post read. “My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.”
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In response, a group on X called StopAntisemitism told Tlaib what the phrase actually means, saying it refers to “the full erasure of the Jewish state, from Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.”
The group also told the congresswoman the chant is Hamas’ battle cry, adding, “You echo terrorists.”
While several Republicans came out against the squad member for her attempt to justify the phrase, multiple Democrats have also called her out on the matter.
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Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., speaks during a demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza near the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
On Saturday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called for Tlaib to “retract” the “cruel and hateful” social media post.
“@RashidaTlaib, I have supported and defended you countless times, even when you have said the indefensible, because I believed you to be a good person whose heart was in the right place,” Nessel wrote in an X post. “But this is so hurtful to so many. Please retract this cruel and hateful remark.”
Another Democrat from Michigan, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, “the only Jewish member” of Michigan’s congressional delegation, said she has worked to reach out to constituents who are Arab and Muslim who “are feeling fear and anguish,” while also reflecting on their empathy as she approaches the crisis at hand.
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“I ask the same of [Rep. Tlaib],” Slotkin posted to X. “The phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ is one of division & violence, & it is counterproductive to promoting peace. None of us, especially elected leaders, should amplify language that inflames a tense situation & makes it harder for our communities to find common ground.”
In the third post of her string, Slotkin added, “If I knew that a phrase, I’d used had hurt any of my constituents, I would apologize and retract it, no matter its origin. I’d ask the same from you.”
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One other party member, Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said Tlaib “is wrong.”
“‘From the river to the sea’ is a call for eliminating the state of Israel that rejects a two-state solution & puts Jews in danger,” Rosen posted on X. “We must reject extremism, no matter which side of the aisle it comes from. America’s support for Israel remains unwavering.”
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Several Republicans have also called out Tlaib for her statements, including Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
