Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib remains steadfast in her assertion that Israel bears responsibility for the tragic strike on a Gaza hospital, despite contradictory claims from President Joe Biden and multiple global leaders who attribute the incident to Palestinian militants.
As a lawmaker of Palestinian heritage, Tlaib has emerged as a prominent critic within the U.S. government, consistently denouncing Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and frequently accusing the nation of perpetuating what she terms an “apartheid” system.
After the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, Tlaib expressed her condolences for the lives lost on both sides of the conflict, while refraining from direct condemnation of the actions of the Palestinian militant group. This sets her apart from fellow members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, who openly denounced Hamas’ attack.
Concerns surrounding Congresswoman Tlaib’s stance on Hamas and the subsequent criticism, particularly from Republican quarters, intensified following her statement attributing blame to Israeli authorities for a tragic explosion at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza. The blast, which occurred on October 17 just ahead of President Biden’s visit to Israel, resulted in a significant loss of life.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, Palestinian authorities asserted that the strike was the result of an Israeli military action. However, the Israeli army countered this claim, stating that the incident was caused by an unintentional rocket launch from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an armed group that subsequently denied responsibility.
Tlaib’s decision not to explicitly condemn Hamas and the subsequent criticism, particularly from Republicans, gained momentum following her statement attributing the tragic explosion at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, resulting in numerous casualties, to Israeli authorities.
In the immediate aftermath of the October 17 explosion, which occurred just before President Biden’s visit to Israel, Palestinian authorities asserted that the strike resulted from an Israeli military action. Contrarily, the Israeli army contended that it was caused by a stray rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a claim denied by the group.
Various investigations conducted by news agencies and independent research organizations have failed to conclusively determine responsibility for the incident. The investigative journalism group Bellingcat reported that the area surrounding the suspected impact site exhibited indications consistent with the detonation of a munition, a weapon typically not employed by Israel. The BBC identified inconsistencies in the Israeli military’s account of the incident.
While the truth regarding the attack remains elusive, the U.S. has sided with Israel in asserting that the explosion was caused by the “other team,” as President Biden conveyed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit.
However, Tlaib has chosen not to align herself with this stance and, in a statement issued on Monday, called for an independent investigation into the explosion.
Tlaib expressed her agreement with the United Nations, stating, “In line with the United Nations, I believe that an impartial investigation is crucial, given the doubts raised by media outlets and independent analysts regarding the claims and evidence put forth by both Israel and the Gaza Ministry of Health.
I cannot simply endorse Israel’s denial of responsibility as absolute truth, particularly considering the World Health Organization’s confirmation of multiple instances of Israeli airstrikes on medical facilities in Gaza and ongoing reports from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society about threats from the Israeli military to evacuate hospitals,” she continued.
“Both the Israeli and United States governments have extensive, well-documented histories of misinformation regarding conflicts and allegations of war crimes—such as last year’s Israeli military assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh and the debunked claims of weapons of mass destruction that led the United States into the Iraq War. As a result, they cannot absolve themselves of accountability without the involvement of an impartial international investigation,” she added.
