Tlaib reposts fake poll showing Israeli public agreeing that soldiers can rape Palestinians

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Wednesday reposted a fake poll showing that 47% of Israelis agree that Israeli soldiers should have a right to rape Palestinians. She later removed her repost from the since-deleted post from Noura Erakat, a Palestinian American activist.

The poll was doctored and originally asked Israelis if the government had surrendered to terrorist supporters.

Erakat, an associate professor at Rutgers University, said, “When you tell a society they have a right to [commit] genocide, surely they believe they have right to rape.” She has since apologized for the post.

“Rep Tlaib trusted me & posting this [without] cross checking was my mistake,” Erakat posted on X. “But surely u understand how one would take this poll to be true in light of video of gang rape of a Palestinian detainee & Knesset + public debate on whether such rape should be ok.”

The Washington Examiner contacted Tlaib’s office for comment but did not receive a response.

“It is utterly unacceptable that Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib would spread false, inflammatory stories about Israel,” an Anti-Defamation League spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “Though Tlaib subsequently deleted her post sharing this photoshopped image of a poll, the damage had already been done. Lies and misinformation spread like wildfire on social media – Members of Congress shouldn’t be promoting false and damaging disinformation – they should be fighting it.”

Israel has been extensively criticized for bombing Gaza in an attempt to force the terrorist group Hamas to surrender.

Tlaib, a member of the progressive “Squad,” is the only Palestinian American member of Congress and has staunchly opposed Israel’s military operation in Gaza. She protested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress by holding up a sign that read “war criminal” on one side and “guilty of genocide” on another.

Two members of the “Squad” who have been critical of Israel have lost their Democratic primaries. Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Cori Bush (D-MO) lost their seats in the House in part because the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel donor group, made massive contributions to their primary opponents.

One other member, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), is at risk of losing her seat to former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels. Tlaib won her primary unopposed.