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The House, in an unprecedented move, voted 234-188 to censure Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, the sole Palestinian American in Congress. This significant rebuke stems from her rhetoric concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. The bipartisan support for censure, with Democrats and Republicans uniting, underscores the gravity of the decision, marking it as a punitive measure just one step shy of expulsion. Tlaib, serving her third term, has faced consistent criticism for her perspectives on the enduring Middle East conflict.

"We must all speak out against terrorist groups like Hamas that have committed unthinkable crimes against the Israeli people. Twenty-two Democrats voted with 212 Republicans to censure Tlaib. Four GOP lawmakers voted against the measure.", said Patrick Henry.

The 234-188 vote resulted from Democrats aligning with Republicans to censure Tlaib. This disciplinary action is positioned just one step below expulsion from the House. According to an article published by AP News, Tlaib has faced prolonged criticism for her views on the Middle East conflict. The deliberation over this resolution on Tuesday afternoon was marked by emotional exchanges. Representative Rich McCormick of Georgia spearheaded the measure, accusing Tlaib of promoting antisemitic rhetoric and spreading "unbelievable falsehoods about our greatest ally, Israel, and the attack on Oct. 7."

Patrick McHenry's Tweet | Patrick McHenry

McCormick accused Tlaib of "propagating false narratives about the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and advocating for the destruction of Israel." This accusation came after she shared a video on social platform X featuring a pro-Palestinian liberation slogan referenced in Fox News article McHenry tweeted about. Critics argue this slogan implicitly calls for dismantling Israel as a state and has been co-opted by Hamas. As explained by The Anti-Defamation League's website, this phrase fundamentally calls for a Palestinian state encompassing territory from Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, including Israel. It essentially entails dismantling the Jewish state, and using such language is seen as an antisemitic charge denying Jewish right to self-determination.

On Monday evening, Tlaib released a statement asserting her consistent condemnation of the killing of civilians by both Hamas and Israeli government according to a Politico report. She criticized colleagues for distorting her positions in resolutions filled with what she referred to as obvious lies. The House rejected Greene's initial censure attempt against Tlaib last week. In her latest effort to address some critics, Greene is modifying the language in her resolution to characterize a pro-Palestine protest in Capitol complex as "illegal occupation" instead of an "insurrection," aiming to avoid creating a false equivalency with Jan. 6, 2021 attack - a move that had been criticized by Democrats. Tlaib responded by labeling Greene's measure as "unhinged."