In a recent interview on CNN’s “The Lead,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) addressed the controversial statements made by his fellow House Democrat, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has come under fire for her remarks on the Gaza conflict and her use of the phrase “From the river to the sea.” While their partisan views align, Moskowitz expressed his concerns about Tlaib’s comments and called for accountability.
The interview began with host Jake Tapper asking Moskowitz about Tlaib’s accusation that President Joe Biden is supporting genocide in Gaza. Tapper also mentioned Tlaib’s attempt to explain the meaning of the phrase “From the river to the sea,” which she described as an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, despite information that reveals the saying is a genocidal one.
“What’s your view of what Rep. Tlaib is saying?” Tapper asked.
Moskowitz responded, stating, “Well, first of all, we don’t disagree, there are — some debates don’t have two sides. ‘From the river to the sea’ means the destruction of Israel and everyone who’s in it, okay? Just like ‘Mein Kampf’ is not a coloring book and the final solution means exactly what Hitler meant it to mean. ‘From the river to the sea’ is calling for the destruction of an entire country, period, full stop.”
Blue on blue!
"Just like ‘Mein Kampf’ is not a coloring book and the final solution means exactly what Hitler meant it to mean, ‘From the river to the sea’ is calling for the destruction of an entire country, period, full stop." https://t.co/mGugOnixIy
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) November 7, 2023
He went on to emphasize that Tlaib’s use of the phrase was problematic and highlighted the double standards surrounding Israel. Moskowitz pointed out that if someone were to call for the destruction of France, it would be considered outrageous, but somehow, similar statements about Israel are debated.
When Tapper pressed further on Tlaib’s accusation of genocide, Moskowitz urged caution, acknowledging the suffering in Gaza but countering, “If Israel wanted to commit a genocide, there’d be 500,000 people who are dead. They have the military to do that is what I’m saying. But that’s not the case.”
He also criticized Tlaib for pushing misinformation while using numbers provided by Hamas, a group known for not differentiating between its fighters and civilians. Moskowitz stressed that while there is suffering in Gaza and civilian casualties, it is Hamas’s fault for launching attacks and placing its civilians in harm’s way.
For the Democrat, any censure that comes out of her use of the phrase “From the river to the sea” and her deliberate misinformation regarding the Gaza hospital bombing would be justified and worthy of support.
Moskowitz also shifted the focus to a call for Hamas to surrender rather than seeking a ceasefire, emphasizing the importance of holding the terrorist organization accountable for its actions.
“Now, I support humanitarian aid, I support pauses to get the hostages out, but there can be no ceasefire with Hamas. Instead, we should be calling for Hamas to surrender. How about that? How about we call for the terrorist organization to surrender, instead of a country like Israel defending its people?” he stated, referring to calls by leftists for a ceasefire by Israel.
Tlaib came under fire on both sides when the chant, “From the river to the sea,” was heard in an anti-Israel video message posted on social media. Since then, fellow Democrats, including Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, Michigan Senate President Pro Tem Jeremy Moss, Rep. Noah Arbit (D-MI) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), have publicly chastised her, agreeing that her defense of the slogan is not valid.
