Rashida Tlaib Furious with Biden Admin Over Geneva Convention Commemoration: ‘Is This a Joke?’
Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib from Michigan has criticized the U.S. government for allegedly enabling Israel to commit war crimes by providing weapons in Israel’s conflict with Hamas. In response to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks commemorating the Geneva Conventions, Tlaib questioned the U.S.’s commitment to international humanitarian law, accusing them of supporting bombings that impact hospitals and schools in Gaza. She referenced a report from Amnesty International claiming U.S.-supplied weapons have been involved in violations of international law. Tlaib has also pointed out recent arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes related to the ongoing conflict. During Netanyahu’s recent address to Congress, Tlaib displayed a sign reading “war criminal” to protest. Netanyahu, in his speech, dismissed the ICC’s accusations, asserting that Israel takes measures to minimize civilian casualties while accusing Hamas of using civilians as shields. The tense exchange highlights ongoing debates over U.S. military support for Israel amid allegations of civilian harm in the conflict.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan accused the United States government of enabling Israel to commit war crimes by supplying weapons in the Jewish state’s fight against Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed allegations of war crimes when he spoke before a joint session of Congress last month.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken posted Monday on X, “Today we commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The United States reaffirms our steadfast commitment to respecting international humanitarian law and mitigating suffering in armed conflict. We call on others to do the same.”
“Is this a joke?” replied Tlaib, who is the child of Palestinian immigrants.
Is this a joke?* https://t.co/WEAuCurNtD
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 13, 2024
“You supported sending more U.S. made bombs being used to commit war crimes. The government of Israel bombed hospitals, schools, and tents full of displaced Palestinians. How can you say you are for respecting international human rights laws?” she added.
*You supported sending more U.S. made bombs being used to commit war crimes. The government of Israel bombed hospitals, schools, and tents full of displaced Palestinians. How can you say you are for respecting international human rights laws? https://t.co/Pb30mrlxYE
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 13, 2024
The congresswoman linked to an April news release by Amnesty International alleging, “U.S.-supplied weapons provided to the government of Israel have been used in serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and in a manner that is inconsistent with U.S. law and policy.”
Citing conclusions reached by the International Court of Justice at the Haag in the Netherlands, “The organization demands an immediate suspension in the transfer of arms to the government of Israel.”
In May, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu accusing him of war crimes, including starving and willfully killing civilians in the Jewish state’s response to the Hamas terror Oct. 7 attacks, when approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 were taken hostage.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett responded to the ICC warrants posting on X that the effort is a “huge boost to global Jihadi terror.”
“An ICC that compares the executor of a deliberate murderous attack that included raping women and burning babies, with those who are defending themselves against it, is better off not existing,” he argued. “It’s time for the decent nations to defund the ICC.”
The prosecutor’s request is a moment of shame for the ICC and the world community.
It also provides a huge boost to global Jihadi terror.
An ICC that compares the executor of a deliberate murderous attack that included raping women and burning babies,
with those who are…— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) May 20, 2024
During Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress last month, Tlaib held up a sign, which read “war criminal.”
Rashida Tlaib holds ‘War Criminal’ sign as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses Congress. pic.twitter.com/q2GZTd4Ucf
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 24, 2024
Netanyahu address the ICC’s allegations during his address saying, “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication.”
Tlaib raised her sign high over her head after the prime minister made this point.
“Israel has enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza,” he continued. “That’s half a million tons of food, and that’s more than 3,000 calories for every man, woman and child in Gaza. If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it, it’s because Hamas is stealing it.”
Netanyahu also addressed the allegation Israel is deliberately targeting civilians.
“What in God’s green earth is he talking about?” he asked. “The [Israeli Defense Force] has dropped millions of flyers, sent millions of text messages, made hundreds of thousands of phone calls to get Palestinian civilians out of harm’s way.”
“But at the same time, Hamas does everything in its power to put Palestinian civilians in harm’s way,” Netanyhau added. “They fire rockets from schools, from hospitals, from mosques.
“They even shoot their own people when they try to leave the war zone. A senior Hamas official Fathi Hamad boasted – Listen to this – He boasted that Palestinian women and children excel at being human shields. His words: ‘excel at being human shields.’ What monstrous evil.”
In October, Tlaib accused Israel of bombing a hospital in Gaza despite the U.S. government concluding the strike had likely been caused by an errant Hamas rocket.
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