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Rashida Tlaib Demands Court Issue Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Other Israeli Officials
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) addresses attendees as she takes part in a protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza outside the US Capitol, in Washington, DC, US, Oct. 18, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Leah Millis
US Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Tuesday called for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials.
Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of the US Congress, made the demand while accusing Israel of genocide after the Jewish state launched a military operation targeting Hamas in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Palestinian terrorist group’s last stronghold in the enclave.
“There is nowhere safe in Gaza,” Tlaib said in a statement. “I urge the ICC to swiftly issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials to finally hold them accountable for this genocide, as is obviously warranted by these well-documented violations of the Genocide Convention under international law.”
The US and Israel are not members of the ICC. Palestinian territories were given membership in 2015.
The ICC has reportedly considered warrants for Netanyahu and other members of his cabinet — the Israeli premier has characterized the possibility of an ICC arrest warrant as an “unprecedented antisemitic hate crime.” Some Republicans in the US Senate have responded with threats to impose sanctions on the ICC if it moved forward with the arrest warrants.
Tlaib, one of Israel’s harshest critics in Congress, also demanded that fellow lawmakers and US President Joe Biden halt all American military assistance to Israel.
“It is now more apparent than ever that we must end all US military funding for the Israeli apartheid regime, and demand that President Biden facilitate an immediate, permanent ceasefire that includes a complete withdraw of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians,” Tlaib said.
The Michigan Democrat did not mention Hamas once in her statement.
The terrorist group, which rules Gaza, launched the current war with its Oct. 7 invasion of the Jewish state. During their rampage across southern Israel, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250 others as hostages.
Israel responded to the surprise onslaught with a military campaign in Gaza aimed at freeing the hostages and incapacitating Hamas to the point that it can longer pose a major threat to the Israeli people. Hamas leaders have pledged to carry out massacres against Israel like the one on Oct. 7 “again and again.”
Tlaib’s statement came as the Israeli military said it took operational control of the Palestinian side of Gaza’s southern Rafah Crossing, which borders Egypt, while targeting the Hamas terrorist group’s fighters and infrastructure.
The US has sought to pressure Israel to forgo a significant military operation in Rafah, citing the potential for civilian casualties; Jerusalem has countered that a ground offensive is necessary to eliminate Hamas’ remaining battalions in the southern Gaza city.
Experts have told The Algemeiner that Israel must operate in Rafah if the Jewish state wishes to achieve its war objective of eliminating the threat posed by the Palestinian terrorist group.
“Many of my colleagues are going to express concern and horror at the crimes against humanity that are about to unfold, even though they just voted to send Netanyahu billions more in weapons,” Tlaib said. “Do not be misled, they gave their consent for these atrocities, and our country is actively participating in genocide. For months, Netanyahu made his intent to invade Rafah clear, yet the majority of my colleagues and President Biden sent more weapons to enable the massacre.”
Last month, Biden signed a legislative package that included about $26 billion in aid for Israel. However, the Biden administration has also reportedly held up deliveries of ammunition and precision weapons to the Jewish state amid concern over Israel’s operation in Rafah and, more broadly, increasing opposition to the Israeli war effort against Hamas.
Tlaib has received bipartisan backlash for her fierce opposition to Israel, which she has previously compared with Nazi Germany, since the Gaza war began.
Last month, Tlaib received a wave of criticism for refusing to condemn anti-Israel protesters who chanted “death to America” and “death to Israel” during a rally in her district.
Two months earlier, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning Hamas’ use of sexual assault as a weapon of war during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel. It was a near-unanimous vote, with a single exception: Tlaib, who only voted “present,” arguing she could not support the measure because it did not also accuse Israel of using sexual assault as a weapon of war. Mounting evidence has documented Hamas’ systematic use of torture and sexual violence, including mass rape, against the Israeli people during the onslaught.
After Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, Tlaib flew a Palestinian flag outside her home and seemingly blamed Israel for the attack, accusing the Jewish state of having an “apartheid system” that fosters “conditions that can lead to resistance.” Later, the lawmaker accused Biden of supporting a “genocide” against Palestinians because he voiced support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
In the following weeks, Tlaib falsely claimed on social media that Israel bombed the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza as part of its military operations targeting Hamas, which rules the coastal Palestinian enclave. It turned out that a misfired Palestinian rocket from Gaza caused a widely reported explosion near the Al Ahli Hospital, according to intelligence from Israel and several Western governments. Experts agreed that Israel was not responsible, but Tlaib refused to recant her claim, arguing that “both the Israeli and United States governments have long, documented histories of misleading the public about wars and war crimes.”
So indecorous was Tlaib’s conduct that in November her colleagues in the House voted to censure her for “promoting false narratives” regarding Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of the Jewish state and for “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.”
Tlaib’s close ally in the House — Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), another vocal opponent of Israel — may also be censured for remarks concerning Israel and Gaza. House Republicans have said they are preparing to formally censure Omar over her recent comments at Columbia University, where she said that “we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students — whether they are pro-genocide or anti-genocide.” Critics have argued that Omar’s claim that Jews are “pro-genocide” was antisemitic.
“It’s just unacceptable, so I want to take a bold stand,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) told reporters on Tuesday, explaining that he’ll pursue censure against Omar. He predicted that many Democrats would support his resolution.
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Israel Says France ‘Rewarding Terror’ After Macron Announces Plan to Recognize Palestinian State
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference in Paris, France, June 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
France intends to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, drawing an immediate rebuke from Israel.
Macron, who announced the decision on X, published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition and work to convincing other partners to follow suit.
“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said.
“I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”
France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, potentially giving greater momentum to a movement so far dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of Israel.
The announcement sparked anger from Israel and is likely to get a tough response from Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Macron’s decision, saying that such a move “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the move as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism,” adding that Israel would not allow the establishment of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Macron’s “absurd and unserious” decision that Paris will formally recognize a Palestinian state.
“The French president’s pretension to conjure a permanent settlement in our land with a mere breath is absurd and unserious,” Saar said in a statement posted on X. “A Palestinian state would be a Hamas state — just as the [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago led to Hamas’s takeover there.”
Macron “cannot provide security for Israel,” Sa’ar added.
“Israel’s attempt to base its security on Palestinian promises to fight terror failed entirely in the Oslo process,” he continued, referring to the 1990s peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians that sought a two-state solution. “Israel will no longer gamble with its security and its future.”
In a diplomatic cable in June, the United States said it opposed any steps that would unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state even saying it could go against US foreign policy interests and draw consequences.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Macron had been leaning towards recognizing a Palestinian state for months as part of a bid to keep the idea of a two-state solution alive despite the pressure not to do so.
French officials initially weighed up the move ahead of a United Nations conference, which France and Saudi Arabia had planned to co-host in June to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel‘s security.
The conference was postponed under US pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend.
It was rescheduled and downgraded to a ministerial event on July 28-29 with a second event taking place with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.
CREATING MOMENTUM
The decision to make the announcement ahead of next week’s conference aimed to give the French team at the United Nations a framework to work with other countries who are also considering recognizing a Palestinian state or still have misgivings in doing so.
Diplomats say Macron has faced resistance from allies such as Britain and Canada over his push for the recognition of a Palestinian state. Some 40 foreign ministers will be in New York next week.
Israeli officials have spent months lobbying to prevent what some have described as “a nuclear bomb” for bilateral relations.
The idea that France, one of Israel‘s closest allies and a G7 member, could recognize a Palestinian state, would certainly infuriate Netanyahu.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Israel‘s warnings to France have ranged from scaling back intelligence sharing to complicating Paris’ regional initiatives – even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh said on X that Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”
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Ukraine Declares Rabbi Nachman’s Tomb a National Heritage Site Ahead of Annual Uman Pilgrimage
Orthodox Jewish pilgrims dance outside the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov during celebrations marking Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in Uman, Ukraine, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Oct. 2, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Ukrainian authorities have declared the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov a national heritage site, ahead of the annual pilgrimage that draws thousands of Jewish worshippers to Uman to honor the 18th-century founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced the decision on Wednesday during Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Kyiv — a move that underscores the strengthening ties between the two nations.
“I want to thank you for recognizing the site in Uman, the resting place of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, as a heritage site,” Saar said during a joint press conference.
“Both Ukraine and Israel are going through difficult times, but our countries are strong, and the friendship between us is steadfast. We will continue to deepen it and support one another,” the top Israeli diplomat said.
“I thank you for your hospitality. I look forward to building a better future for our children. And I invite you and hope to soon host you in Jerusalem, our eternal capital,” he continued.
Uman, a city in central Ukraine, has long been a major pilgrimage destination, drawing tens of thousands of observant Jews — primarily Haredim — who travel to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, the revered founder of the Breslover Hasidim.
Once home to a thriving Jewish community, Uman saw its residents devastated under Nazi occupation in 1941, with thousands murdered and 17,000 deported.
The local Jewish cemetery was destroyed during this time, including Rabbi Nachman’s grave, which was later recovered and relocated.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, several Orthodox Jewish families have returned to Uman.
Each year, an annual pilgrimage takes place around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, drawing thousands to the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, who died in 1810. This year’s event is set to occur from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24.
Since 2020, Ukrainian officials have advised against making the pilgrimage — initially due to COVID-19 restrictions and later because of the ongoing war with Russia.
The pilgrimage faced major disruptions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to the suspension of many commercial flights. Since then, regional tensions in the Middle East — including the war in Gaza in 2023 and escalating conflicts with Iran in 2024 — have further complicated travel.
Last year, approximately 30,000 Israelis traveled to Uman for their annual celebration at the tomb, despite official warnings urging travelers to avoid the area.
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US, Israel Recall Negotiators From Gaza Ceasefire Talks, Witkoff Says ‘Selfish’ Hamas Not Showing Good Faith
Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Israel and the United States both recalled their negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar on Thursday, with US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff saying that Hamas has not been acting in good faith and “clearly shows a lack of desire” to reach a deal despite weeks of mediated discussions with the Palestinian terrorist group.
“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,” Witkoff posted on X/Twitter. “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza. It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way. We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza.”
Witkoff’s statement came as Israeli officials also confirmed pulling its negotiating team from Doha for consultations, accusing Hamas of altering the terms of a potential ceasefire agreement just as talks appeared to be gaining momentum. The announcement also came amid mounting international concern over deteriorating conditions in Gaza, where the UN and multiple aid agencies have warned of a worsening hunger crisis. However, negotiations have stalled over what Israeli officials described as Hamas’s new and unrealistic demands concerning prisoner releases and terms for a permanent ceasefire.
“In light of the response conveyed by Hamas this morning, it has been decided to return the negotiating team for additional consultations in Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “We appreciate the efforts by the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, and the efforts of envoy Witkoff, to achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations.”
Hamas has demanded that Israel release 200 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences for killing Israelis and another 2,000 Palestinians who were detained in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid. In exchange, Hamas would turn over 10 living hostages to Israel.
According to Ravid and Israeli journalist Amit Segal, Hamas specifically requested the release of 20 murderers for each living hostage, in addition to the 2,000 detainees.
Hamas’s new demands were part of its response following an earlier ceasefire proposal, accepted by Israel, which included the release of 125 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,200 Palestinians arrested by the Israeli military in Gaza after Oct. 7.
The terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, also reportedly demanded that Israeli forces withdraw to smaller areas of territory in the enclave than previously discussed as part of the ceasefire and that UN agencies and international organizations should provide aid to the war-torn area rather than the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. In addition, Hamas demanded guarantees that Israel would not resume fighting after the 60-day ceasefire, a condition the Jewish state has opposed.
Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during the Oct. 7 atrocities that started the ongoing war. The terrorist group, which has not yet commented on the US and Israeli decisions to pull out their negotiating teams, has repeatedly insisted that any ceasefire must lead to a permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel has said all hostages must be freed and Hamas can’t retain control of neighboring Gaza when the fighting stops.
The post US, Israel Recall Negotiators From Gaza Ceasefire Talks, Witkoff Says ‘Selfish’ Hamas Not Showing Good Faith first appeared on Algemeiner.com.