Rashida Tlaib Slams Democratic Colleagues Over Aid to Israel, Calls Netanyahu a ‘Genocidal Maniac’

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, raged at her Democratic colleagues and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night in a floor speech urging the House to vote against unconditioned aid to Israel.

“Here we go again, sending $17.6 billion. U.S. tax dollars. With no conditions attached to Netanyahu’s extremist government to drop more bombs on innocent Palestinians. The Israeli government has already killed 27,000 people, 11,500 them were children,” said an animated Tlaib. Israel has claimed that many of those killed in the ongoing conflict were Hamas fighters.

“I’m tired of my colleagues coming to me whispering, ‘I don’t really like Netanyahu,’” Tlaib continued, adding:

Well, then why are we sending him billions of dollars with no conditions? He literally is telling us over and over again what his intention is. I’m tired of my colleagues coming in whispering to me, Rashida, I support two-state solution. Great. Then send money that conditions for a two state solution. Because Netanyahu has over and over again told us he never wants to see a Palestinian state.

So I’m tired. I oppose Netanyahu’s war crimes and want him gone too. But many of my colleagues that continue to tell me that do not want to condition to aid, they give it to a genocidal maniac. My message to those calling my colleagues is simple. If you don’t support Netanyahu, if you’re disgusted by the countless videos of lifeless children pulled out of the rubble. If you actually believe in upholding human rights and international law, vote no on a blank check to Netanyahu’s genocide.

The aid to Israel failed as 166 Democrats and 14 Republicans voted against the measure, which needed two-thirds to pass because the motion sought a suspension of the rules and immediate passage.

Watch the full clip above via C-SPAN.