Rep. Tlaib Agrees Not To Promote BDS, Israel Allows Entry On Humanitarian Grounds (UPDATE: Tlaib Calls Off Trip)
[guest post by Dana]
Yesterday, in his statement regarding the decision to deny Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib entry into Israel due to their advocacy for the Boycott, Sanction and Divestment (BDS) movement, Benjamin Netanyahu specifically addressed Rep. Tlaib, whose has relatives living in the West Bank:
[I]f Congresswoman Tlaib submits a humanitarian request to visit her relatives, the minister of interior has announced that he will consider her request on the condition that she pledges not to act to promote boycotts against Israel during her visit.
After Israel’s decision was announced, Tlaib tweeted:
This woman right here is my sity. She deserves to live in peace & with human dignity. I am who I am because of her. The decision by Israel to bar her granddaughter, a U.S. Congresswoman, is a sign of weakness b/c the truth of what is happening to Palestinians is frightening. pic.twitter.com/GGcFLiH9N3
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 15, 2019
This was followed by a formal request asking permission to enter the country to visit her relatives. Here is a copy of Rep. Tlaib’s letter, in which she promises:
I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit.
Israel has now granted approval for Rep. Tlaib to make the trip on humanitarian grounds:
Israel has granted permission for Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat and the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, to visit her grandmother in the West Bank.
“Interior Minister Aryeh Deri decided on Friday to approve the entry of US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for a humanitarian visit of her 90-year-old grandmother,” the interior ministry said in a statement Friday.
The interior ministry said early Friday that Tlaib had sent a letter asking to be granted access in which she promised to not promote boycotts against Israel and to respect the restrictions imposed on her during her visit.Her request was granted and the interior ministry “expressed hope that she would honor her commitment.”
However, not everyone is happy about the conditions of Rep. Tlaib’s visit, nor the outcome of the congresswomen’s efforts to visit Israel:
A senior Palestinian official distanced herself from a West Bank visit by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib who has been allowed entry to the Israeli-occupied territory on “humanitarian grounds.”
The official, Hanan Ashrawi, was to have hosted Tlaib and Rep. Ilhan Omar, on a West Bank tour. Tlaib and Omar are sharply critical of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.
[…]
Ashrawi said Friday that she does not get involved in personal visits and that the congressional visit is off until all participants “can have free access to Palestine.”
About the congresswomen’s planned visit to Israel, Netanyahu reminded us yesterday: “…the organization that is funding their trip is Miftah, which is an avid supporter of BDS, and among whose members are those who have expressed support for terrorism against Israel.”
UPDATE: Politics over family: Rep. Tlaib has called off her trip:
Silencing me & treating me like a criminal is not what she wants for me. It would kill a piece of me. I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in–fighting against racism, oppression & injustice. https://t.co/z5t5j3qk4H
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 16, 2019
Apparently, being “treated like a criminal” is getting a necessary assurance from a sitting U.S. congresswoman that she will not break Israel’s laws while in the country, and being “silenced” refers to not being allowed to attack Israel by promoting a boycott of the country she hates (IOW, breaking the law). And this is what she considers reason enough to not visit her aged grandmother, whom she told us just yesterday in her formal request that, this could be her last opportunity to see her. Sorry, Grandma, politics…
UPDATE 2: From the Israeli interior minister, via Jake Sherman:
I authorized this humanitarian trip, but it turns out that it was a provocation to embarrass Israel. Her hatred for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother.
UPDATE 3: Because you knew he would have to insert himself into this again:
Rep. Tlaib wrote a letter to Israeli officials desperately wanting to visit her grandmother. Permission was quickly granted, whereupon Tlaib obnoxiously turned the approval down, a complete setup. The only real winner here is Tlaib’s grandmother. She doesn’t have to see her now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2019
(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)
–Dana
Good morning.
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 6:35 amGood morning.
What a crazy world we live in.
Dave (1bb933) — 8/16/2019 @ 6:41 amI’ve updated the post as Tlaib has now called off the trip:
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 6:54 amSo, like Obama, she threw her grandmother under the proverbial bus for politics.
Don’t you love leftists?
Bored Lawyer (998177) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:00 amsmh
Dave (1bb933) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:00 amI’ve added a second update from the Israeli interior minister:
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:01 am4,
Why does the Left hate their grandmothers??
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:02 amNow they should cause some intra-squad. “entropy” and offer Omar the seat. More of a case for IO anyway because she’s not Palestinian and she’s of much more color (would solve a bit of a PR issue for Israel on the heels of its Ertrean and Filipino expulsions).
urbanleftbehind (663600) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:04 amHe, ha, ha! I hope I am not the only who is not surprised by the Palestinian lady changing her mind.
nk (dbc370) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:14 amYou mean, it’s almost as if it was a set-up all along?? Oh, say it isn’t so! Who would stoop that low…
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:16 amTlaib two hours ago, before announcing cancellation of her trip:
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:20 amA century of Palestinian aggressive panhandling without progress.
nk (dbc370) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:24 amShe clearly doesn’t represent US.
NJRob (4d595c) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:27 am“That’s not WINNING.”
—- Charlie Sheen
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:08 am“It takes every kinda people.”
—- Robert Palmer
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:10 amAssociate Academia hardest hit!
https://static.pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screen-Shot-2019-08-16-at-8.47.07-AM-542×600.png
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:16 amIt just demonstrates once again that Palestinian activists are incapable of taking yes for an answer.
JVW (54fd0b) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:22 am17… one would almost think camping is the preferred lifestyle…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:43 amPhoto looks like Bill Belichik.
mg (8cbc69) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:50 amDang, was grammy a married convert, or is RT the random dark kid in the family?
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:53 amMore honest would have been:
Sammy Finkelman (ce0839) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:59 amThe boycott business was not important.
Rashida Tlaib wanted to meet with certain people in the West Bank so she could more authoritatively lie about Israel and so she could stage an incident at the Temple Mount.
All to push any thoughts of a peace agreement further away, and to justify war and terrrorism.
Sammy Finkelman (ce0839) — 8/16/2019 @ 9:03 amJust like socialism in Nazi Germany and communism in Russia and China, ideology over everything, including family.
I wonder if she made this decision on her own or if the mob leaders told her what was what.
harkin (58d012) — 8/16/2019 @ 9:06 amLike most NPR/NYT/WaPo followers I’ve been following this story minute by minute devouring all the latest 24/7 coverage. What issue could be more important to the USA, then whether 2 Congresswomen are allowed to visit Israel?
Thank God, its ended well.
rcocean (1a839e) — 8/16/2019 @ 9:08 amDana, could your next post be something rcocean considers worth his valuable time to read and comment about? I hate to see the poor guy suffer like this.
nk (dbc370) — 8/16/2019 @ 9:39 amI keep trying, nk, because you know my goal in life is to make rcocean happy.
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 9:40 amI keep trying, nk, because you know my goal in life is to make rcocean happy.
It’s all about setting him up to make a disparaging crack at a writer for National Review Online.
JVW (54fd0b) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:03 am“Politics over family” — She’s on the side of people who celebrate when their own children become “martyrs,” in that peculiar definition that requires blowing up other people along with oneself.
Radegunda (efd02a) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:06 amIt is an ill wind ….
In his own snide way, rceocan makes a point. This is about Rashida Tlaib getting her name in the news, with little, if any, meaningful effect on BDS, Israel, Palestine, or U.S./Israeli relations generally.
nk (dbc370) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:14 amMax Boooooooooottt.
NJRob (939c04) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:14 amReps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib got what they wanted and Trump and Netanyahu got pawned. Omar and Talib gained even more free publicity for themselves and their cause. Trump looked vindictive and Netanyahu looked afraid of two women. The banning certainly looks suspicious after their visit was approved in July. The only reason they were banned is that Netanyahu is in a fight for his political life.
Ripmurdock (344216) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:20 amThis is about Rashida Tlaib getting her name in the news, with little, if any, meaningful effect on BDS, Israel, Palestine, or U.S./Israeli relations generally.
I have been asked in the past why I blog so much about Our Adorably Clueless Niece, with the insinuation that I must have some weird obsession with her. But the reality is that her every move is being covered by the NYT, WaPo, CNN, Fox, and the rest of them, so if that is what is in the major media then why wouldn’t I talk about it here? It’s the same with the rest of the Mean Girls in Congress. When big media starts ignoring them, we will have the luxury of ignoring them.
JVW (54fd0b) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:22 amRancida Tlapia… she has her following. Why, I don’t know…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:38 amIt’s a positive feedback loop, they write stories that get clicks, re-tweets and eyeballs. If you stopped linking and commenting they’d move on. But of course, here i am commenting on Dana’s well written post and being part of the system. 😀
Time123 (441f53) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:40 amWhat are the odds that she wanted to do both? Both visit granny and push the POV that she believes in? If that’s the case there’s a scenario where she agreed to half the apple, re-thought her decision and declined the invitation. Only way to answer that is with telepathy so i doubt we’ll ever know.
Time123 (441f53) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:42 amSo, we’re supposed to ignore these stories at a political/current events blog??? How does that work exactly?
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:47 amBibi blew it, not giving Omar and Tlaib to make anti-Semitic fools of themselves on Israeli soil. Also, I agree with Ms. Weiss.
Paul Montagu (a2342d) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:51 amAmongst the losers are people who still think big tech is impartial:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECG4gyXX4AIp71_?format=jpg&name=large
harkin (58d012) — 8/16/2019 @ 10:55 amPeople talk about stories in the news. that doesn’t mean I have to be happy that its NEWS. Or happy it receives x10 times more coverage than it should.
rcocean (1a839e) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:07 am‘Their chief export is pain and terror; their only manufactured product is rubble; their only tourist attraction: tombs.’
Use your fast ball, God.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:09 amNetanyahu for the win…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:09 amIf you (if you)
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:11 amIf you wanna (if you wanna)
If you wanna feel alright
Just ask the Rock n’Roll Doctor’s advice
@37. Yep. He’s weak. Caving to a Trump tweet says it all.
Deny the congresscritters but, hey, as long as the checks they authorize clear. The tally: $147-plus billion over the years in ‘aid’ to Israel.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:19 amOmar and Tlapia “managed to come out looking like martyrs”?
In some circles, yes. But then, thankfully, there’s the sane world.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:30 am“stands against everything I believe in”
Tlapia doesn’t believe in visiting grandmothers?
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:38 amsharia law for grandma.
mg (8cbc69) — 8/16/2019 @ 11:54 amOmar and Tlapia are a couple of sh*theels bent on rat-fvcking America… https://twitchy.com/sarahd-313035/2019/08/16/how-is-this-not-a-story-conservative-journo-jeryl-bier-digs-up-more-disturbing-dirt-on-org-behind-rashida-tlaib-and-ilhan-omars-israel-trip/
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/16/2019 @ 12:00 pmThey may come out looking like martyrs (I said victims yesterday) to the Palestinians, but the question is, how does their Party view them after this stunt?
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 12:07 pmWeird question – what if Amash moved about 120 miles east or is RT’s district just too Lean Dem to bother?
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 8/16/2019 @ 12:19 pmMore like 180 miles/2 hours driving (it is Michigan, after all)
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 8/16/2019 @ 12:22 pmRepresentatives don’t have to live in their districts, only in their states.
nk (dbc370) — 8/16/2019 @ 12:29 pmBari Weiss also laid out a damning case against Omar and Tlaib prior to their scheduled visit.
Just to repeat, two members of the United States Congress partnered with “vicious anti-Semites” in making their “Palestine”, which should be the real scandal. Had they gone, conservative media would and should have been on them relentlessly for that.
Paul Montagu (e7d63b) — 8/16/2019 @ 2:16 pmIsrael didn’t demand, ad couldn’t demand that Rashida talib stop supporting the boycott as a condition of visiting Israel, like the CBS Evening News reprted Talib said.
Just that she not use her visit to advance that cause, which probably includes not meeting wih Palestinian officials or activists.
Sammy Finkelman (6a3404) — 8/16/2019 @ 4:00 pmI’ve updated the post again. This time I have posted Trump’s response to news of Tlaib canceling the trip:
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 5:30 pmThere’s Trump’s “sweep the leg” tweet.
You know what? Rep. Tlaib deserves that.
whembly (4605df) — 8/16/2019 @ 5:48 pmToday was amusing
steveg (354706) — 8/16/2019 @ 7:56 pmDemocrats are taking action, of course:
Dana (fdf131) — 8/16/2019 @ 8:07 pmJust a reminder: In Islam, it is lawful for a Muslim to lie to non-Muslims.
nk (dbc370) — 8/17/2019 @ 9:16 amSo it’s kind of like TrumpWorld?
“Fascinating.”
Dave (1bb933) — 8/17/2019 @ 9:30 amNo. Trump lies to Trumpims as well as non-Trumpims.
nk (dbc370) — 8/17/2019 @ 9:36 amRancida Tlapia for Teh Win!!!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/17/2019 @ 10:11 amCPR: Muslim Edition…
https://youtu.be/rM7YL5oBZRA
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/17/2019 @ 10:16 amWhat is this in reference to DCSCA?
NJRob (4d595c) — 8/17/2019 @ 10:24 ammr. trump of fifth avenue does not discriminate on the basis of religion, creed or favorite heinz flavor and that’s why i love him
nk (dbc370) — 8/17/2019 @ 10:26 am“Consider who came out strengthened from this episode.
The obvious winner is Donald Trump, of course, who tweeted after Israel announced its flip- flop that “Representatives Omar and Tlaib are the face of the Democrat Party, and they HATE Israel!” Here, nakedly expressed, was his actual goal: Not to protect an American ally from politicians traveling in bad faith, but to yoke mainstream Democrats to their political fringe, as he has been doing, very effectively, for weeks.”
How dare he do both when his enemies make it so easy by recruiting the bottom barrel of public representatives?
“Joining him in the winners’ circle are Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib. Say Israel had allowed them, per the original plan, to visit. The upshot would have been a week of bad headlines. But Israel has gotten that tenfold anyway, and the congresswomen managed to come out looking like martyrs.”
“The losers? Pretty much everyone else.”
You sound like one of those ‘zero sum game’ type Democrats-“anything good for Trump is bad for everybody else!”
His last tweet is the most perfect scuzzing to end the issue for good-not simply letting the opposition get away with it, but noting that people who do these terrible and terribly transparent things are bad people, who should be treated as such whenever they open their mouths. Otherwise, having gotten away with it, they’ll gladly do worse in the future.
Would they, and have they, done anything less to us? Do you doubt for a second that proven and habitual liars like them would not cackle openly at the deaths and injuries of good men for a speck of attention, as do other people who look and act like them, in the places where they came from, and probably should go back to if they want their sick displays of public mendacity treated as normal?
Compassionate BDSism (d98ddb) — 8/17/2019 @ 12:20 pm