Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is backing away from a controversial retweet that blamed Israel for the death of a 7-year-old Palestinian boy.
Tlaib had shared an unverified tweet claiming the boy was “kidnapped and executed” by Israeli settlers and was “assaulted and thrown in a water well,” Fox News reported.
But The Jerusalem Post noted it was an accidental drowning caused by heavy rains and the youth was not kidnapped.
Hanan Ashrawi of the Palestine Liberation Organization apologized for sharing the controversial tweet. She wrote on Twitter:
“My apologies for retweeting something that’s not fully verified. It seems that the news of his being kidnapped is not certain.”
Tlaib referenced Ashrawi's tweet and posted: “In this era of inaccurate and manipulative news, I will also strive to hold myself to the highest standards for what I share. Know that I always seek truth as we uplift the oppressed and fight for equality, justice and freedom.”
Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League had earlier blasted Tlaib for posting the retweet.
“This is an example of how the blood libel works in 2020,” he said in a tweet. “@RashidaTlaib retweets a vicious lie steeped in centuries-old accusations used to demonize Jews, then says nothing when it’s disproven. An apology is overdue.”
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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