Arriving in Michigan Tuesday, President Joe Biden stood locked in a nearly 8-minute discussion with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, an outspoken critic of the administration’s Middle East policy.
The Michigan Democrat has urged Biden to condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom she said “commits war crimes and openly violates international law” in a tweet.
During an appearance on MSNBC Monday, Tlaib said Biden was “taking orders from Netanyahu, who is on corruption charges from stealing from his own people, the people he’s supposed to be representing.”
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“Enough, President Biden,” Tlaib, the only member of Congress of Palestinian descent, charged. “You will not do this on our watch. You have to speak out against this violence in a very aggressive way that holds Netanyahu and his leadership accountable.”
Biden shook Tlaib’s hand before huddling with her on the tarmac at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, with fellow Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell alongside. At one point, Biden held his arm around Dingell, who represents Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, a seat previously held by her deceased husband. Biden did not initially wear a mask but put one on as he prepared to leave in a motorcade.
Dingell told reporters the group discussed “a lot of things,” while Tlaib did not respond.
In his remarks at the Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where Biden visited to tout his sweeping infrastructure proposal, the president spoke directly to Tlaib, calling her a “fighter” whom he admires.
“I pray that your grandmom and family are well in the West Bank,” Biden said.
Joe BidenAfter days of public support for Israeli airstrikes, Biden on Monday moved closer to calling explicitly for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as violence between the two parties escalated.
“The president expressed his support for a ceasefire,” the White House said in a readout of the discussion, Biden’s third with Netanyahu since last week.
Shortly before the White House issued its statement, Netanyahu said he had approved new operations, saying, “The directive is to continue striking at the terrorist targets.”
Congressional allies have jointly urged Biden to call for an “immediate ceasefire” to the conflict as violence escalated over the weekend.
Press secretary Jen Psaki defended the administration’s stance, saying Biden has “been doing this long enough to know that the best way to end an international conflict is typically not to debate it in public.”
“Every action we take is toward the end goal of ending the violence on the ground, to bring to end to the suffering of the Israeli and Palestinian people,” Psaki said. “We’re not going to take actions or steps that we think would hinder that effort.”
She also criticized former President Donald Trump’s Middle East efforts and called the peace process advanced by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner “dead on arrival.”
Joe BidenArab American advocates have planned three protests in Dearborn, a city that is 47% Arab American, while Biden is there, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Ten Israelis have died in the conflict so far, the worst fighting since the 2014 50-day war. Close to 200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.
On Tuesday, Gaza militants renewed attacks on Israel after a brief quiet overnight, while Israel responded with strikes.
“The IDF is not talking about a ceasefire. We’re focused on the firing,” Israel Defense Forces chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman told Israel’s Army Radio Tuesday, according to Reuters.
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On Sunday, Netanyahu told CBS, “We’ll do whatever it takes to restore order and quiet and the security of our people. … It’ll take some time. I hope it won’t take long, but it’s not immediate.”
