Defending Palestinians is not anti-Semitic

By Steve Otto

Many of our congress people, including many Democrats, have dismissed Rashida Tlaib for being a Palestinian and for supporting her people’s rights. For that, some in congress have labeled her as ‘anti-Semitic.” So defending the rights of a people who have clearly been treated as non-human are now considered “anti-Semitic.” Tlaib has said things that many of us political activist have been saying for years. And she has been taking the flack for it.

For some of us, the idea of a “Jewish state” is just as intolerable as an “Islamic state.” Many of the politicians who believe in a Jewish state oppose those countries that have intentionally labeled themselves as “Islamic states,” such as Iran. So what’s the difference? Why is it not OK to have an Islamic state as in Iran, yet it is OK to have a Jewish state in Israel.

The US may officially see Israel as an ally, but for many of us, it is both an example of apartheid and it is a religious state and many of us oppose any religious state, and it doesn’t matter which religion it represents. According to C-SPAN: 

“In a fiery speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) slammed Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) over the latter’s opposition to U.S. funding for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.

 The Iron Dome has been crucial in saving countless Israeli lives from rockets fired by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah from Gaza and Lebanon into Israel.

“I cannot, I cannot allow one of my colleagues to stand on the floor of the House of Representative and label the Jewish democratic State of Israel an apartheid state. I reject it,” said Deutch passionately. “Today, this caucus, this body, the House of Representatives will overwhelmingly stand with our ally the State of Israel in replenishing this defensive system.”

He continued, “If you believe in human rights, if you believe in saving lives, Israeli lives and Palestinian lives, I say to my colleague who just besmirched our ally, then you will support this legislation.”

These are very harsh words for a member of congress. But she actually is a Palestinian and she has every right to defend her people just as any one who is Jewish has the same right. So no one should hold it against her for defending her people or her heritage. That is her right and it needs to be respected!

Pix by Palestinian rights.