The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to reprimand Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan on Thursday over her comments against Israel. Democrats joined Republicans in voting to condemn her remarks that Israel’s supporters in the United States had dual loyalty and pushed for a boycott of the Jewish state.
Despite objections from congressional Democrats, Tlaib was the only lawmaker censured in the vote, with all others in her party voting against the measure. The censure resolution passed on a vote of 398 to 17. Tlaib was the only no-voter.
While some members of the Democratic caucus said that their decision not to oppose the measure sent a clear signal of their disapproval of Tlaib’s remarks, other Democrats defended Tlaib’s right to criticize the Israeli government’s policies toward Palestinians.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said that Tlaib had “spoken out against the violence of the occupation” but made it clear that the House held “no tolerance” for anti-Semitism.
The episode highlights increasing tensions within the Democratic party over the Israel-Palestinian conflict and how to address it.
