Space approves answer condemning Palestinian rallying cry as antisemitic

The Space on Tuesday followed a answer condemning as antisemitic the word “from the river to the ocean, Palestine will probably be unfastened,” a Palestinian rallying cry.

The chamber voted 377-44-1 at the measure, with 43 progressives and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) opposing the measure and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) balloting “provide.”

The answer, which spans 5 pages, comes months after Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) was once censured by means of the Space in November for posting a video at the social platform X that integrated a clip of protesters chanting the similar word and stated President Biden “supported the genocide of the Palestinian folks.”

Tlaib voted in opposition to the answer Tuesday.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the rating member of the Space Overseas Affairs Committee, stated he idea the answer was once a transparent try to divide Democrats, however felt he needed to vote in want as a result of he believes the slogan is antisemitic.

“Whilst I’m now not in reality satisfied that we need to believe this answer, I do consider it was once introduced right here, thankfully, by means of my colleagues at the different facet of the aisle in an try to divide this space,” Meeks stated at the ground forward of the vote.

“I additionally know the risk of the word in query. This is why the answer in reality has my begrudging improve. However on this establishment you need to do what you suppose is the most efficient factor to do, the fitting factor to do, that’s why I improve this answer and inspire colleagues to sign up for in doing the similar.”

Whilst Tlaib has referred to as the word “aspirational” in attaining an unbiased Palestinian state, lawmakers and Israel’s supporters criticize the rationale as a canopy for language explicitly calling for the removal of the state of Israel.

“When you believe the geographic house of the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea to be completely Palestine, you take the Jewish state of Israel off the map,” Meeks stated.

Dean wrote on X that — regardless of believing the word “has no position in discussing long-term peace for Israel and Palestine — she voted “provide” at the answer as a result of GOP “video games” at the factor.

“Republicans favor video games over expenses to improve our allies & humanitarian help. We should be functional with our phrases — and likewise with our time,” she wrote.

The vast majority of Democrats and Republicans improve a two-state resolution, outlined as a safe Israel facet by means of facet with an unbiased Palestinian state, more likely to be territory within the West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip.

They criticize those that invoke “from the river to the ocean” — relating to the territory between the Jordan River at the west and the Mediterranean Sea at the east — as delegitimizing Israel’s life.

The Anti Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee have categorized the mantra as antisemitic. The AJC, which helps a two-state resolution, describes it as “a rallying cry for terrorist teams and their sympathizers, from the Widespread Entrance for the Liberation of Palestine to Hamas, which referred to as for Israel’s destruction in its unique governing constitution in 1988.”