Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib Slammed for Failing to Mention Jews in Holocaust Remembrance Day Tweet
by Algemeiner Staff

US Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) speaks at a rally calling on Congress to censure President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, April 30, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Aaron P. Bernstein.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) — who has faced antisemitism accusations in the past — was criticized on social media on Wednesday after tweeting a statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day that did not mentions Jews.
“This #HolocaustRemembranceDay == and every day — we pay tribute to the millions of lives lost and forever changed in one of the most horrific chapters of our world’s history,” Tlaib wrote. “May we honor them by fighting to ensure hate and bigotry #neveragain prevail. #YomHaShoah.”
This #HolocaustRemembranceDay—and every day—we pay tribute to the millions of lives lost and forever changed in one of the most horrific chapters of our world’s history. May we honor them by fighting to ensure hate and bigotry #neveragain prevail. #YomHaShoah pic.twitter.com/q1gAwfINEe
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) April 21, 2020
The failure to point out that Holocaust Remembrance Day marks a particularly Jewish tragedy drew both outrage and sarcasm from social media commenters.
Jewish conservative activist Ben Shapiro replied to Tlaib, “You can say Jews, Congresswoman.”
You can say Jews, Congresswoman. https://t.co/9WrjaUvpsC
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 22, 2020
The blogger Elder of Ziyon posted a past tweet by anti-Israel activist and Tlaib ally Linda Sarsour that attacked former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus for Holocaust Remembrance Day statement in 2017 that did not refer to Jews.
“How do you have a Remembrance Day for the Holocaust and not mention Jews?! Absolutely outrageous. Definition of anti-semitism,” Sarsour said.
“According to Linda Sarsour @lsarsour, @RepRashida @RashidaTlaib is an antisemite,” Elder of Ziyon noted.
According to Linda Sarsour @lsarsour, @RepRashida @RashidaTlaib is an antisemite.
(h/t @melissaeweiss) pic.twitter.com/GhdCrehWPx
— Elder of Ziyon 🇮🇱 (@elderofziyon) April 22, 2020
Rabbi Yonah Bookstein also replied to Tlaib’s deracinated statement, saying, “Millions of Jewish lives. This isn’t WWII Memorial Day.”
Millions of Jewish lives. This isn’t WWII Memorial Day. https://t.co/DLZlxEqiIF
— Rabbi Yonah (@RabbiYonah) April 22, 2020
Human rights lawyer and analyst Arsen Ostrovsky reacted angrily to Tlaib, tweeting, “Like your fellow Squad member @IlhanMN, you too have no shame @RashidaTlaib! You have done nothing but promote Antisemitism, vilify the Jewish state and seek its destruction.”
“You can’t even mention that the ‘millions of lives lost’ in the Holocaust were JEWS !!!” he added.
Like your fellow Squad member @IlhanMN, you too have no shame @RashidaTlaib! You have done nothing but promote Antisemitism, vilify the Jewish state and seek its destruction. You can’t even mention that the ‘millions of lives lost’ in the Holocaust were JEWS !!! #YomHaShoah
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 21, 2020
Criticism also came from Muslims online, with Anila Ali — president of the American Muslim Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council — writing, “It’s hard for you to say ‘Jews’ ‘Jewish lives’? This is such a forced tweet. Save it.”
“We all know how antiSemitic you and your buddies at Cair are,” Ali added, referring to the Council on American-Islamic Relations advocacy group, which has also been accused of antisemitism.
@RashidaTlaib It’s hard for you to say,”Jews” “Jewish lives”? This is such a forced, tweet. Save it. We all know how antiSemitic you and your buddies at Cair are. https://t.co/BwQcMPpWOU
— Anila Ali (@anilaali) April 22, 2020