US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has rejected Israel’s offer to allow her to visit her Palestinian family in the West Bank after Tel Aviv barred her from entering the occupied territories.
Tlaib, a Democrat who represents Michigan in the US House of Representatives has been a vociferous critic of Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.
She said in a tweet on Friday that she would not visit her family as planned after the Tel Aviv regime imposed “oppressive conditions” to humiliate her.
The Palestinian-American lawmaker had planned to make an official visit to the occupied territories along with fellow Democrat Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
On Thursday, Israel blocked Tlaib and Omar over supporting the boycott movement against Tel Aviv shortly after US President Donald Trump called on Israel not to let them in.
Israel said early on Friday that Tlaib could visit her grandmother in the West Bank on the grounds that she agrees not to “promote the boycott against Israel” during her trip.
“Visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in,” Tlaib wrote on Twitter.
“Silencing me & treating me like a criminal is not what she wants for me,” she said of her grandmother. “It would kill a piece of me. I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in–fighting against racism, oppression & injustice.”
Silencing me & treating me like a criminal is not what she wants for me. It would kill a piece of me. I have decided that visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions stands against everything I believe in–fighting against racism, oppression & injustice. https://t.co/z5t5j3qk4H
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) August 16, 2019
In a lengthy statement seen by the CNN earlier in the day, Tlaib condemned Israel’s behavior toward her and confirmed that she will not travel to visit her family in the West Bank at this time.
“In my attempt to visit Palestine, I’ve experienced the same racist treatment that many Palestinian-Americans endure” when encountering the Israeli regime, Tlaib said.
“I have therefore decided not to travel to Palestine and Israel at this time. Visiting my grandmother under these oppressive conditions meant to humiliate me would break my grandmother’s heart.”
Lengthy statement from Rashida Tlaib, accusing the Israel government of “racist treatment,” seeking to “silence” her voice, being “afraid” of the truth and saying she won’t go visit her grandmother there under “undemocratic conditions” pic.twitter.com/sR80rV9UZ3
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 16, 2019
Tlaib’s grandmother – Muftiyah Tlaib – lives in the village of Beit Ur al-Fauqa in the West Bank, located about 24 kilometers from the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.
Muftiyah said she was “proud” of her granddaughter after getting into a diplomatic spat with the Quds-usurping regime of Israel.
“I am proud of her,” Tlaib’s grandmother told the Washington Post. “Who wouldn’t be proud of a granddaughter like that? I love her and am so proud of her.”
Tlaib, with Palestinian roots and Omar, with a Somali origin, have openly supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and been outspoken in their criticism of the Israeli crimes against Palestinians.
The movement was initiated in 2005 by over 170 Palestinian organizations and later became international.
Tlaib and Omar’s support for BDS comes at a time when Trump has stepped up ties with Tel Aviv and stopped Palestinian aid.
Israel and its allies in Washington have long railed against calls for people and groups across the world to cut economic, cultural and academic ties to the occupying regime.