President Donald Trump has called Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s (D-MI-13) request to visit Israel for family reasons a “complete setup” after the congresswoman almost immediately canceled the trip upon receiving permission to enter the country.
As The Michigan Star reported, Tlaib and close ally Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) were barred from traveling to Israel because of their support of the BDS movement.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the itinerary for the tour “revealed that they planned a visit whose sole objective is to strengthen the boycott against us and deny Israel’s legitimacy.”
“Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar are leading activists in promoting the legislation of boycotts against Israel in the American Congress,” he said.
The decision was widely condemned by Democrats as a “sign of weakness.” Omar even compared it to Trump’s “Muslim ban,” as she calls it.
Tlaib, however, wrote to Israel’s interior minister requesting permission to visit Israel “on humanitarian grounds.”
“I would like to request admittance to Israel in order to visit my relatives, and specifically my grandmother,” Tlaib wrote in her letter, The Star reported. “This could be my last opportunity to see her. I will respect any restrictions and will not promote boycotts against Israel during my visit.”
Israel granted her request, but then Tlaib announced that she wouldn’t visit because the conditions were too “oppressive.”
“The Israeli government used my love and desire to see my grandmother to silence me and made my ability to do so contingent upon my signing a letter—reflecting just how undemocratic and afraid they are of the truth my trip would reveal about what is happening in the State of Israel and to Palestinians living under occupation with United States support,” Tlaib said in a statement.
In a series of Friday tweets, President Trump called Tlaib out for her “complete setup.”
“Israel was very respectful and nice to Rep. Rashida Tlaib, allowing her permission to visit her ‘grandmother.’ As soon as she was granted permission, she grandstanded and loudly proclaimed she would not visit Israel. Could this possibly have been a setup? Israel acted appropriately,” Trump said.
Israel was very respectful & nice to Rep. Rashida Tlaib, allowing her permission to visit her “grandmother.” As soon as she was granted permission, she grandstanded & loudly proclaimed she would not visit Israel. Could this possibly have been a setup? Israel acted appropriately!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2019
In another tweet, he said Tlaib wrote a letter “to Israeli officials desperately wanting to visit her grandmother.”
“Permission was quickly granted, whereupon Tlaib obnoxiously turned the approval down, a complete setup. The only real winner here is Tlaib’s grandmother. She doesn’t have to see her now,” Trump added.
Rep. Tlaib wrote a letter to Israeli officials desperately wanting to visit her grandmother. Permission was quickly granted, whereupon Tlaib obnoxiously turned the approval down, a complete setup. The only real winner here is Tlaib’s grandmother. She doesn’t have to see her now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2019
“Like it or not, Tlaib and Omar are fast becoming the face of the Democrat Party,” Trump said in his final tweet. “Cortez (AOC) is fuming, not happy about this.”
Like it or not, Tlaib and Omar are fast becoming the face of the Democrat Party. Cortez (AOC) is fuming, not happy about this!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2019
Tlaib’s grandmother spoke with Reuters Saturday morning and said of Trump: “May God ruin him.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Rashida Tlaib” by Rashida Tlaib.
