Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is not apologizing for her recent comments about the creation of the Israeli state and is instead claiming Republicans are spreading lies about her.
“Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably,” Tlaib tweeted.
Policing my words, twisting & turning them to ignite vile attacks on me will not work. All of you who are trying to silence me will fail miserably. I will never allow you to take my words out of context to push your racist and hateful agenda. The truth will always win.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 13, 2019
Denzel McCambell, communications director for Tlaib’s office, also released a statement Sunday evening.
“Once again, Republicans leaders and right-wing extremists are spreading outright lies to incite hate,” McCambell said. “Congresswoman Liz Cheney should be ashamed of herself for using the tragedy of the Holocaust in a transparent attempt to score political points. Her behavior cheapens our public discourse and is an insult to the Jewish community and the millions of Americans who stand opposed to the hatred being spread by Donald Trump’s Republican party.”
“Again, this behavior by a bankrupt Republican leadership is dangerous and only increases hateful rhetoric from those who want to cause harm to oppressed people. The Republican Party has reached a new low,” he added.
The controversy started after Tlaib’s recent interview on Yahoo News’ podcast, “Skullduggery,” where she said it gave her comfort knowing Palestinians helped create “a safe haven for Jews” at their expense after the Holocaust.
“There’s kind of a calming feeling I always tell folks when I think of the Holocaust, and the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the fact that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence in many ways, have been wiped out, and some people’s passports,” she said.
“I mean, just all of it was in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-the Holocaust, post-the tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time, and I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that, right, in many ways,” she continued. “But they did it in a way that took their human dignity away, right, and it was forced on them.”
