The powerful lobby and allied groups have poured money into defeating candidates who voice any criticism of Israel. Amid calls for a cease-fire in Israel’s war on Gaza, they’re back at it again.
by Naomi LaChance, In These Times
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 234–188 to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) — the only Palestinian member of Congress — on Nov. 7 for allegedly “promoting false narratives” about Israel’s war with Hamas and assault on Gaza.
Of the 22 Democrats who joined nearly every Republican member in voting in favor of the resolution, at least 14 took campaign contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (or AIPAC) in 2022. In total, these lawmakers received $900,000. Republicans have similarly raked in massive donations from AIPAC, which spends millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions to push pro-Israel stances.
The dramatic move to censure comes amid a broader effort targeting Tlaib over her expressions of humanity and compassion in support of Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including a television ad that went on air in Detroit earlier this month attacking the congresswoman over her voting record on Israel and Palestine.
“And she refuses to answer even this horrific question” says an ominous voice while the ad displays an image of the congresswoman speaking into a megaphone. The ad then cuts to someone chasing Tlaib down a hallway with a recorder out: “You can’t comment about Hamas terrorists chopping off babies’ heads?” the person asks. (The Israeli government has said it was unable to verify claims that Hamas decapitated babies in the deadly Oct. 7 attack.)
Recent Posts
The Democratic Party Needs A Soul, Not A Focus Group
Take Action Now Exposing the flawed logic of a centrist pivot for DemocratsBy Sam Rosenthal Nearly exactly a year later, two narratives have taken…
The Money Versus Mamdani in the Final Stretch of NYC Mayoral Race
Take Action Now Unpacking the expensive eleventh-hour efforts by billionaires targeting Zohran Mamdani.By Meghnad Bose and Biplob Kumar Das, Drop…
The World Must Demand the Release of Palestinian Leader Marwan Barghouti
Take Action Now His continued imprisonment is not merely unjust; it silences the one leader most capable of uniting the Palestinian people and…
Trump Is Moving Relentlessly Toward Illegal War In Venezuela
Take Action Now The Trump administration’s murderous strikes on small boats at sea constitute unlawful extrajudicial killings.By Marjorie Cohn,…