Anti-Israel Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib Mocked for Hanukkah Message
by Algemeiner Staff
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib faced mockery and criticism on Twitter after she issued a Hanukkah message to a far-left Jewish anti-Zionist group.
In a message to If Not Now Detroit, Tlaib said, “Your 2020 platform calling for every public official to commit to defunding the occupation in falastin and fighting antisemitism and white nationalism is one that I can support very strongly.”
“Happy early Hanukkah and thank you from the bottom of my heart … also for my grandmother,” she added, speaking of her relative who lives in the West Bank.
She wasn't able to make it in person, but Congresswoman @RepRashida Tlaib sent this wonderful video to the folks at INN Detroit for their Chanukah party. Thanks, Rashida!
Check out the video and check the thread below for a INN Chanukah party near you soon! pic.twitter.com/LsoL1hLidt
— IfNotNow? (@IfNotNowOrg) December 20, 2019
Tlaib also published a generic greeting on her official Twitter account, saying, “#HappyHanukkah to all my Jewish friends and neighbors across #13thDistrictStrong and around the world. Wishing you light, love, and blessings as you celebrate the Festival of Lights.”
#HappyHanukkah to all my Jewish friends and neighbors across #13thDistrictStrong and around the world. Wishing you light, love, and blessings as you celebrate the Festival of Lights. pic.twitter.com/sGhTArfFXM
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) December 22, 2019
Many of those who responded to Tlaib found her comments ironic, as Hanukkah in fact celebrates the Jews regaining their independence and sovereignty over Judea, which Tlaib renamed “falastin.”
“This is gross, why can’t she just wish us happy Hanukkah?” said a video by the Israel Advocacy Movement. “Here she is hijacking a Jewish festival to attack Jews.”
“And here’s the irony of it all: Hanukkah actually celebrates Jews fighting off a foreign army that was occupying Judea,” the video added. “Rashida’s celebrating Jewish independence in Judea by describing the Jews that live there as occupiers.”
Rashida Tlaib's insulting Hanukkah message… pic.twitter.com/epEZfn7XUV
— Israel Advocacy Movement (@israel_advocacy) December 22, 2019
Public affairs and strategic consultant Lenny Ben-David tweeted, “Thank you Rep Tlaib. You may be aware that your grandmother lives in the Beit Ur village where the Jewish liberation battle by the Maccabees from Modiin/Beit Horon began in 167 BCE. Ground zero for the Jewish #Hanukkah holiday.”
Thank you Rep Tlaib.
You may be aware that your grandmother lives in the Beit Ur village where the Jewish liberation battle by the Maccabees from Modiin/Beit Horon began in 167 BCE. Ground zero for the Jewish #Hanukkah holiday.
Map by Carta. https://t.co/fFarR9imMN pic.twitter.com/NekXQwtrs5— Lenny Ben-David (@lennybendavid) December 23, 2019
Seth Mandel, editor of The Washington Examiner, expressed anger toward the congresswoman, tweeting, “At first I honestly couldn’t believe this was real. As horrible as Rashida Tlaib obviously is, could she possibly be this rotten, this bigoted?”
At first I honestly couldn’t believe this was real. As horrible as Rashida Tlaib obviously is, could she possibly be this rotten, this bigoted? https://t.co/SHsikHoZY2
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) December 22, 2019