Only 9 Dems Voted Against Resolution Denying Israeli Apartheid

Rashida Tlaib reminded lawmakers that support for South African apartheid had similar bipartisan support.

by Sharon Zhang, Truthout

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution vowing perpetual allyship with Israel and denying the country’s apartheid against Palestinians on Tuesday night, just days after Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) criticized Israel’s violent oppression and far right regime over the weekend.

The legislation, which states that “Israel is not a racist or apartheid state” despite mountains of evidence and expert agreement showing the opposite, passed 412 to 9, with one lawmaker, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) voting “present.”

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) speaks in support of the No Muslim Ban bill during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.

It had extensive bipartisan support, with all Republicans and 195 Democrats voting “yes.” One “yes” vote came from Jayapal, who has been the target of harassment from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for days now over a statement calling Israel “a racist state” and asserting that “the Palestinian people deserve self-determination and autonomy.”