A Willingness to Collude
Not too many weeks ago Donald Trump told Democratic Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib along with three other American congresswomen of color to go back from where they came. Of course, Mr. Trump displayed his usual ignorance because Rep. Tlaib was born in Detroit, one of the most iconic middle-class enclaves in America. Setting aside the obviously misinformed ramblings of the President, he conspired with the Israeli Prime Minister to keep both Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from visiting Israel. As duly elected representatives from the United States Congress, they have a right and duty to seek solutions to complicated problems. Along with that, it is the duty of the President to protect them as American citizens and members of the United States Congress.
Both Reps. Omar and Tlaib were granted permission by the Israeli government to travel before the President tweeter-vened. After 24-hours of clear collusion between Netanyahu and Trump to deny two American-Muslim Congresswomen the right to do their jobs, the embarrassment pushed the Israeli government into giving permission to Tlaib to visit her grandmother on “humanitarian grounds.” This not only shows how the American President is willing to collude with a foreign government against its’ own citizens, but it also proves the oppression charges by both congresswomen.
Yesterday Mr. Trump declared that Israel has every right to bar anyone who opposed their government’s policy from entering the country. If that is true, then Mr. Netanyahu should be barred from coming to the United States. In March of 2015 PM Netanyahu, by invitation of the then Republican-led Congress, came to the United States and advocated against the proposed Iran Nuclear Agreement set forth by former President Obama. It was obvious the Republicans intended to stoke fears amongst American Jews and fuel paranoiac suspicions of former President Barack Obama. The notion of Mr. Netanyahu being barred from the U.S. because of political differences is just as inane as Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib being barred from Israel because they question the human rights policy of Israel toward the Palestinians. There are legitimate disputes and political differences of opinion and it is not anti-Semitic to say so.
Today the Israeli Interior Ministry showed a willingness to allow Ms. Tlaib to enter the country with restrictions, one of which was is a “promise not to advocate boycotts during her visit.” The hypocrisy is obvious. Mr. Netanyahu stood before Congress and said of Obama’s Iran deal, “This is a bad deal. It’s a very bad deal. We’re better off without it.” The merits of the Prime Minister’s objection are a discussion for another day because my point here is peaceful policy disagreement should be welcomed by all “democracies.”
Apparently, Mr. Netanyahu’s government is willing to allow Ms. Tlaib entrance if she agrees to their repressive or conditional permission. “Visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions meant to humiliate me would break my grandmother's heart,” and she went on to say. “Silencing me with treatment to make me feel less-than is not what she wants for me — it would kill a piece of me that always stands up against racism and injustice,” said Tlaib.
Vote in 2020 for Change.
