Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud responds after House censures Rep. Rashida Tlaib over Israel comments

DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud has released a statement after the House voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, over her comments about the Israel-Hamas war. 

House votes to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib

The censure, which Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick introduced, accused Tlaib of "promoting false narratives" regarding the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. 

It also referenced a video Tlaib posted on her social media account over the weekend of Michigan protestors chanting, "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which is considered to be antisemitic by the Anti-Defamation League and calls for Israel's destruction.

Tlaib responded to these comments on the House floor and said the use of the phrase was "an aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate." 

While on the House floor, Tlaib grew emotional and continued to call for a cease-fire.

"I can't believe I have to say this, but Palestinian people are not disposable," Tlaib said. "The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me."

Twenty-two Democrats joined most Republicans late Tuesday, voting 234 to 188 to censure Tlaib. 

Last week, the House rejected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to censure Tlaib. 

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud responds

Dearborn May Abdullah Hammoud responded to the decision after previously criticizing Biden's response to a hospital explosion in Gaza City on Tuesday, Oct. 17.  

"The decision to censure our congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, for courageously speaking out in opposition of the U.S. government-backed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank not only robs our elected representative of her right to free speech but equally strips Dearborn residents of our agency and our voice in the people's house," said Hammoud.

 "Our district, like the vast majority of Americans, supports Congresswoman Tlaib's brave and justified call for a ceasefire.

"The choice to muzzle Dearborn's elected representative in Congress while family, friends, and neighbors of Dearborn are brutally murdered by Israeli forces speaks volumes about who the U.S. government sees and prioritizes in our country, and those it is willing to dehumanize and ignore.

"Make no mistake: Dearborn will not forget this state-sanctioned oppression of our community. We stand with and wholeheartedly support our congresswoman and thank her for her courage." 

The city of Dearborn has the largest Muslim population per capita in the United States, and Hammoud was elected as its first Arab American Mayor in 2021.

In an interview with CBS News Detroit, Abdullah said, "Rashida is someone who stands against genocide, who has opposed it, who is calling for a cease-fire, and I think all individuals who voted to censure the only Palestinian American in our halls of Congress, demonstrate just the depravity that they have for the Palestinian people, and the idea that they don't want Palestinians to speak out in any way." 

Abdullah said he believes Tlaib is on the right side of history as she calls for a cease-fire, the return of all hostages and an end to the bloodshed. 

Senators call for Tlaib to resign

Following the censure, several senators filed a resolution calling Tlaib to resign. 

In:
• Metro Detroit
• Hamas
• Israel
• Rashida Tlaib
• Gaza Strip
• Dearborn
• Michigan