Rep. Brad Schneider’s (D-Ill.) staff is circulating a new letter, criticizing a phrase used by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) when describing the war between Hamas and Israel.
The statement, for which Schneider’s staff is seeking signatures, says this:
We reject the use of the phrase “from the river to the sea”— a phrase used by many, including Hamas, as a rallying cry for the destruction of the State of Israel and the genocide of the Jewish people. We all feel deep anguish for the human suffering caused by the war in Gaza. Hamas started this war with a barbaric terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and neither the Palestinian nor Israeli people can have peace as long as Hamas still rules over Gaza and threatens Israel.
[The letter itself is pretty solid. As the excerpt above demonstrates, Schneider puts the responsibility for the war entirely on Hamas, and also supports Israel’s war to destroy Hamas. It does express support for humanitarian “pauses” but only *after* the release of all hostages as well as an end to rocket and missile attacks on Israel from Gaza. Now we just have to see how many House Dems will put their names to this reasonable position. I’d guess less than 50% of them will sign it. — Ed]
Join the conversation as a VIP Member