John,

Today, I spent my birthday staring down a war criminal, Benjamin Netanyahu. My presence today was a reminder to him and all those who support the genocide of the Palestinian people, that not all Americans support the war crimes being committed.

I invited fellow Palestinian American Hani Almadhoun to join me at Netanyahu’s address before a joint session of Congress.

It was important for me and Hani to be there to remind Netanyahu and my colleagues in Congress that Palestinians exist, and that millions of Palestinians are suffering from inaction. Palestinians aren't going anywhere.

Hani has lost more than 140 of his family members in Gaza from U.S. bombs, including his younger brother Majed and his family. In an op-ed for CNN, Hani wrote of his 9 year old nephew:¹

"Rest in peace, Omar. You did nothing wrong. Your only crime was that you were born a Palestinian child."

At today’s speech, I held a sign with a simple message for Netanyahu and the world to see: “War Criminal” and “Guilty of Genocide.”

As I held my silent protest inside the U.S. Capitol, thousands of activists protested outside, demanding Netanyahu’s arrest and calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s military.

The Americans using their right to dissent and protest are reminding us that Congress is not with the majority of Americans, who want to stop funding and arming this genocide.

Instead of celebrating the man responsible for starving and ethnically cleansing the Palestinian people, my colleagues in Congress and the Biden administration must listen to the majority of Americans who want a permanent ceasefire, as well as the majority of Democrats who know this is a genocide and want to stop arming Israel now.

Let's stand together and say enough with sending U.S. bombs and weapons. Can you chip into my re-election campaign today to show that we will not back down in demanding human dignity and rights for the Palestinian people?

Today is my birthday, and I’m spending it representing the courage of the Palestinian people and millions of others around the country and the world who are demanding an end to this genocide. They will not erase us. Not on my watch.

Thanks for being by my side as we demand a better world.

In solidarity,

Rashida

¹ https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/02/opinions/gaza-family-killed-israeli-airstrike-almadhoun/index.html

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rashida Tlaib
Date: Wed, Jul 24, 2024
Subject: Instead of honoring this war criminal today, we must hold him accountable.
To: [email protected]

John,

It's my birthday today, and I'm spending it ensuring that the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu knows that this Palestinian proudly exists in Congress.

After nine months of Israel’s escalating and well-documented genocide against the Palestinian people, bipartisan House and Senate leaders gave Israel’s Prime Minister a rare honor by formally inviting him to address Congress today.

This invitation came after the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor announced that he’s seeking an arrest warrant against Netanyahu for well-documented violations of international law. Instead of honoring Netanyahu, we must hold him accountable. That’s why activists are gathering in Washington, DC today to protest his speech and call for his arrest.

As Israel’s genocidal Prime Minister Netanyahu continues with his U.S.-backed ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza and his push to occupy more of the West Bank, I will continue to uplift the humanity of the Palestinian people.

I’m the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, and I will not be bullied to be silent or invisible. I will continue reminding my colleagues that Palestinians are human beings who deserve freedom and dignity.

Too many leaders in our government are dehumanizing and erasing Palestinians, which also endangers Palestinians in the United States who are subject to a rise in racist attacks. One other Palestinian American previously served in Congress, and he has unfortunately lost multiple members of his family who were killed in Gaza during this genocide.

Shamefully, our federal government is the top funder of these atrocities, as well as the top weapons provider for the Israeli military. Now we have a chance to push a new Democratic nominee for President to change course and heed the majority of the American people, who want an arms embargo and an end to their tax dollars funding apartheid and genocide.

I will keep speaking up, echoing calls from courageous people across the world who have not backed down in saying: Palestinians deserve to live, and we need a ceasefire now!

Can you chip into my re-election campaign today to show that we will not back down in demanding a ceasefire and equal human rights for the Palestinian people?

Thank you for joining me in the push for Palestinian freedom and against oppression everywhere.

Just last week, the world’s top court affirmed what Palestinians and human rights organizations have said for years: Israel’s government is committing the crime of apartheid. The International Court of Justice has demanded reparations for Palestinians and an end to Israel’s illegal military occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. This is in addition to the court's earlier rulings ordering Israel’s government to stop the violence in Gaza and allow in humanitarian aid to Gaza immediately. Now countries must act to enforce these rulings, including the United States.

Together, we will continue demanding and building a world that values all life equally, no matter ethnicity or background.

In solidarity,

Rashida