A House Republican is demanding that foreign flags be banned from the halls of Congress while criticizing Michigan Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib for having a Palestinian one hanging outside her Washington D.C. office.
GOP Ohio congressman Max Miller introduced a measure on Monday to “end this silliness” and ban any flag that is not that of the United States, one if its territories, or the POW/MIA flag, from being displayed in the Capitol building,
Miller discussed his amendment on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing a post from Reese Gorman, a reporter from conservative news site the Washington Examiner. Gorman posted a picture of the office of Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, with the flag outside, in the wake of the Islamist militant group Hamas’ large-scale attack on Israel which has left nearly 1,600 dead on both sides, according to the Associated Press.
Tlaib has frequently criticized the Israeli government, and has accused it of being an “apartheid state.” In a statement on Sunday, Tlaib said she grieves for the “Palestinian and Israeli lives” lost during the attacks and suggested the way to end the violence is by “lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system.”
Writing on social media, Rep. Miller said: “The halls of Congress belong to America. They should be reserved for flags that embody our great nation.
“The Palestinian flag should not have a place here. That’s why I sponsored an appropriations amendment to end this silliness.”
Tlaib’s office has been contacted for comment via email.
The Palestinian flag has been hanging outside Tlaib’s office for several months. In January, near the start of the new congressional term, Tlaib posted a picture of her next to the flag on social media while criticizing the Israeli government.
“Palestinians may be banned from flying their flag under an apartheid government, but we can still proudly do it at my office,” Tlaib wrote. “I’m proud to be a Palestinian American and I want the Palestinian people to know that not all Americans support apartheid. No one can erase our existence.”
Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union, has its own distinct flag which is separate from the Palestinian one outside of Tlaib’s office.
Elsewhere, Michael Herzog, the ambassador of Israel to the U.S., condemned Tlaib for her statement in the wake of Hamas launching its attack on Saturday.
“How much more blood needs to be spilled for you to overcome your prejudice and unequivocally condemn Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror organization?” Herzog posted on X.
“Hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians massacred in cold blood on a holy day. Babies kidnapped from their mother’s arms and taken to Gaza. An 85-year-old woman in a wheelchair and a Holocaust survivor taken hostage. Is that not enough, Tlaib?”