Rep. Tlaib Accuses Biden of Supporting “Genocide of the Palestinian People” in Video Posting

Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan has accused President Joe Biden of supporting “the genocide of the Palestinian people” in a video posted Friday. The roughly one and a half minute video features footage from protests in Tlaib’s home state of Michigan, as well as California, New York and battleground states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, where people held Palestinian flags and chanted phrases like “Free Palestine!” The video closes with Tlaib saying, “We will remember in 2024,” followed by the text, “Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people,” written in all capital letters.

The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the video. Hassan Abdel Salam, a human rights professor based in Minneapolis, expressed concern about the White House’s messaging — or lack thereof — this month. As the death toll continued to rise in Gaza, Abdel Salam waited for any public mention of those Gazans killed, news about evacuating Americans trapped in the region, or a push for a cease-fire.

After Israeli forces began a bombing campaign in Gaza in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants, President Joe Biden was swift to send condolences for the Israeli lives lost. However, Abdel Salam felt that the White House did not make a prompt pivot in its messaging. As a result, he decided that not only would he not vote for Biden, but he’d encourage people in his community to do the same.

The video posted by Rep. Tlaib has sparked debate over the Biden administration’s stance on the conflict in Gaza. It remains to be seen how the Biden campaign will respond to the accusations made in the video and how the White House will address the ongoing conflict in the region.