The House Of Representatives on Tuesday voted to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, over her comments supporting Palestine, one of the territories involved in the war against Israel. 

The Republican-led censure, largely led by Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rich McCormick passed with a vote of 234-188, with 22 Democrats supporting the censure and 4 Republicans being against it. Tlaib, a Democrat who represents Michigan, defended herself against the censure, citing that her colleagues were silencing her and that her support of Palestinians’ rights against Israel and its criticism against the government should not be laced with antisemitism. 

“It is important to separate people and governments. No government is beyond criticism. The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation,” Tliab said.

However, not all agree, with most Republicans and the latter saying that the notorious pro-Palenstine chant  “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, that Tlaib supports is antisemitic in support of being anti-Israel and “pro” Hamas, a terrorist organization based in Palestine per the Anti-Defamation League. McCormick, the Republican who led the censure, also states that the chant proved a disparaging voice that is a “genocidal call against the state of Israel. ” 

But, Tlaib refutes it, describing the chant as an “aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.” 

Tlaib also says that it is shameful that her colleagues are more focused on censoring the voices of Palestinians like her and others instead of saving lives. In a statement after the censure, she said: It’s a shame my colleagues are more focused on silencing me than they are on saving lives, as the death toll in Gaza surpasses 10,000. Many of them have shown me that Palestinian lives simply do not matter to them, but I still do not police their rhetoric or actions.” “Rather than acknowledge the voice and perspective of the only Palestinian American in Congress, my colleagues have resorted to distorting my positions in resolutions filled with obvious lies. I have repeatedly denounced the horrific targeting and killing of civilians by Hamas and the Israeli government, and have mourned the Israeli and Palestinian lives lost.”

Government censures have been used in cases where offenses have been most present, such as criminal convictions or violations of the law. In most of these offenses, a censure does not remove a member from his or her position, but it does issue a warning for punishment.