Pro-Palestine stances land Muslim Congress members death threats

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
20 Oct 2023 17:23
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Progressive lawmakers, such as Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, were briefed by the US Capitol Police and the House Sergeant at Arms regarding potential threats.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., attends a press conference on Feb. 26 on Capitol Hill. (AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of Congress, has received threats for denouncing the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the blind US support for the occupation.

Progressive lawmakers, such as Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, were briefed by the US Capitol Police and the House Sergeant at Arms regarding potential threats. The voicemails they received contained profanity-laced death threats, with one message referring to Omar as a "terrorist Muslim". Another threat suggested that a vigilante group had information about “all your addresses and handed them out to rapists.”

“I’m from a militant group,” the male caller of a third voicemail threatened. “I can’t wait ‘till our group sees you one day and I can rip your f------ rag off your head... I hope the Israelis kill every f------ one of you.”

In her statement, Omar expressed that she and other Muslim Americans have faced “dishonest smear”. This false equation has created an environment conducive to the proliferation of threats and harassment.

It is worth noting that a group of Muslim and Jewish congressional staff members issued a letter on Thursday, calling on Congress to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

This comes shortly after Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib stood her ground on Wednesday, declining to apologize for her statement the previous day in which she held "Israel" responsible for the airstrike on a hospital in Gaza, an assertion that garnered strong criticism from Republicans.

Tlaib, among thousands of demonstrators demanding a Gaza ceasefire, participated in a solidarity rally organized by the progressive group Jewish Voice for Peace at the National Mall. During her impassioned speech, she displayed visible emotions, occasionally halting her address to openly express her sorrow and to criticize lawmakers who have not supported a ceasefire resolution.

"As an American, not just as a member of the United States Congress, I am ashamed. I am ashamed that they're saying, 'Not yet. Maybe next week.' ... How many more have to die?" Tlaib said.

She also discussed the negative reaction she received, commending the attendees for the "courage it's taken to speak up."

"The American Jewish community in my district, and all of you here. I just know how much courage it's taken to speak up. Many of you have been targeted. You're being gas lit. Some people are losing their jobs. Folks are getting events canceled. Literally, their First Amendment right wiped away for standing up and saying that children deserve to live. It is literally inhumane for my colleagues to allow that to continue and say nothing," Tlaib said.

Tlaib also criticized President Joe Biden for his backing of "Israel" in its ongoing aggression on Gaza.

"To my president, to our president ... I want him to know, as a Palestinian American and somebody in Muslim faith, I'm not going to forget this. And I think a lot of people are not going to forget this," Tlaib added.

"President Biden, not all Americans are with you on this one and you need to understand that. We are literally watching people commit genocide and killing the vast majority just like this, and we still stand by and say nothing. We will remember this," she stated.

Rep. Ilhan Omar also came under fire by Republicans for making similar remarks on Tuesday, placing blame on "Israel" for the airstrike on the hospital in Gaza.

Tlaib posted a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, accusing "Israel" of bombing the Baptist Hospital and causing the deaths of at least 500 Palestinians, including doctors, children, and patients. She also pointed the finger at President Biden, claiming that his refusal to facilitate a ceasefire and de-escalation led to such tragedies.

Tlaib further criticized his approach to war and destruction and highlighted its impact on Palestinian Americans and Muslim Americans. She emphasized that they would remember his stance on the issue.

The criticism also highlighted the ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party when it comes to "Israel", with these two representatives prominently expressing their discontent with the Israeli government.

Tlaib and Omar, the initial two Muslim women elected to Congress, have consistently been some of the most vocal critics of the Israeli occupation. Their remarks have occasionally been accused of allegedly containing anti-Semitic remarks by fellow lawmakers and others in congressional leadership. Moreover, some of the backlash directed at Tlaib and Omar for their previous statements has itself been scrutinized for harboring Islamophobic or racist undertones.