Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., the lone member of Congress of Palestinian heritage, said Tuesday she was proud to not vote for President Joe Biden in Michigan's Democrat presidential primary.
Tlaib's protest vote reflects concern among Arab American who feel betrayed by Biden's support for Israel in its war against Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip after Hamas massacred more than 1,200 Israeli citizens and took about 250 others — including infants and women — hostage on Oct. 7.
According to a recent Associated Press report, Israel’s assault in Gaza has killed more than 29,692 Palestinians since the October Hamas attack.
Biden hasn't outright called for a cease-fire and has tried to negotiate with Israel for a temporary pause in fighting to allow for the return of the remaining hostages, some of whom are believed to be Americans. Biden said Monday a deal could be reached by March 4.
"I was proud today to walk in and pull a Democratic ballot and vote uncommitted," Tlaib said in a video posted on X. "We must protect our democracy. We must make sure that our government is about us, about the people."
The Abandon Biden Coalition is a national movement that is encouraging pro-Palestinian Americans to withhold votes from Biden in primaries in battleground states such as Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, and Florida. Biden won all but Florida in 2020.
"When 74% of Democrats in Michigan support a cease-fire, yet President Biden is not hearing us, this is the way we can use our democracy to say, listen. Listen to Michigan," Tlaib said. "Listen to the families right now that have been directly impacted. But also, listen to the majority of Americans who are saying, enough. No more wars. No more using our dollars to fund genocide. No more.
"Please, take your family members. Use our democratic process to speak up about your core values, where you want to see our country go."
House Republicans and Democrats joined to censure Tlaib in November for promoting antisemitic rhetoric regarding the Israel-Hamas war, including her saying "from the river to the sea," which has long referred to the extermination of the Jewish state. She also has not condemned Hamas for the raping of women and murder of children during its terrorist attack.
Whether Tlaib's commitment to vote against Biden carries into the November election is unknown. Michigan will be a key state in Biden's reelection effort; he won it by 154,188 votes over Donald Trump in 2020. The city of Dearborn reportedly has the nation's highest congregation of Arab Americans and Michigan has the most Americans with Middle Eastern ancestry.
Newsmax reached out to Tlaib for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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