Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, has urged fellow Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) to retract a statement she made that has raised concerns. Tlaib’s use of the phrase “From the river to the sea” in a recent video message posted on social media has sparked controversy, with critics claiming it has a deeper, genocidal background, as the phrase is a well-known chant used by sympathizers of the antisemitic Islamist militant group Hamas.
In the video, Tlaib called upon President Joe Biden to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Her use of the disturbing phrase is especially concerning as Hamas is not only trying to displace Jews in Israel but is looking to the complete eradication of the nation from the map.
Dana Nessel, a Democrat, expressed her past support for Tlaib, stating, “I have supported and defended you countless times, even when you have said the indefensible because I believed your heart was in the right place. But this is so hurtful to so many. Please retract this cruel and hateful remark.”
.@RashidaTlaib, I have supported and defended you countless times, even when you have said the indefensible, because I believed you to be a good person whose heart was in the right place.
But this is so hurtful to so many. Please retract this cruel and hateful remark. https://t.co/HBCf8jRgYo
— Dana Nessel (@dananessel) November 4, 2023
Nessel’s call for a retraction came as Tlaib defended her use of the phrase, arguing that “From the river to the sea” represents “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence,” rather than “death, destruction or hate.”
“My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity,” she further claimed in a tweet to X.
From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 3, 2023
However, the congresswoman faced backlash not only from Democrats but also from prominent Republicans who pointed out the historical significance of the phrase. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) expressed his concerns, stating that “From the river to the sea” is a rallying call for the erasure of the State of Israel and called on everyone to “Stand With Israel.”
From the river to the sea is a rallying call for the erasing of the State of Israel. If that’s aspirational to you, that’s a problem.
Stand With Israel. https://t.co/nIKvzYt7Y7
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) November 4, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) used the opportunity to call for Tlaib’s resignation, accusing her of promoting the genocide of all Jewish people in Israel and framing it as aspirational. “‘From the river to the sea’ means to wipe out all the Jews and take their land from the river to the sea. You should resign and go to Gaza and fight on the front lines for Hamas,” stated Greene.
Terrorist Tlaib is promoting the genocide of all Jewish people in Israel and calls it aspirational.
“From the river to the sea” means to wipe out all the Jews and take their land from the river to sea.
You should resign and go to Gaza and fight on the front lines for Hamas. https://t.co/LSYY8fIOFj
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 4, 2023
Other Democrats, such as Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Noah Arbit (D-MI) and Michigan Senate President Pro Tem Jeremy Moss, also joined the chorus of condemnation to Tlaib, with Schultz tweeting, “This phrase means eradicating Israel and Jews. Period. Dressing it up in a new PR ploy won’t change that. Only a return of hostages, eliminating Hamas and liberating Gaza from oppressive terror will save civilian lives and secure the peace, justice and dignity you seek.”
This phrase means eradicating Israel and Jews. Period. Dressing it up in a new PR ploy won’t change that. Only a return of hostages, eliminating Hamas and liberating Gaza from oppressive terror will save civilian lives and secure the peace, justice and dignity you seek. https://t.co/pPcjpMYRkS
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) November 5, 2023
This is not how Jews view the phrase “from the river to the sea.” This is not how Hamas views the phrase “from the river to the sea.”
Hamas uses it as a rallying cry. And they don’t simply want to displace Jews in Israel. They want Jews dead. https://t.co/pRh8cU55if
— Senator Jeremy Moss (@JeremyAllenMoss) November 4, 2023
“This is not how Jews view the phrase ‘from the river to the sea.’ This is not how Hamas views the phrase ‘from the river to the sea,’” Moss wrote on X.