Republican lawmakers criticized Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, over her membership in a secret Facebook group where individuals praised Hamas after its terrorist attack on Israel that left more than 1,000 of its citizens dead.
Tlaib has been a secret member of the US-Palestinian Congress Facebook group for several years. The private group, which can only be found and accessed by its members, includes members who praised the terrorist group after its bloody invasion on October 7, which Fox News Digital reported on Wednesday after accessing it.
In the wake of the report, Republican politicians condemned Tlaib over her membership in the group.
Rashida Tlaib is a member of a secret Facebook group where she glorifies Hamas terrorists
Rep. Rashida Tlaib is a member of a private Facebook group whose members praised Hamas after its attack on Israel on October 7. (Brendan Smalowski/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is disgusting. Every member of Congress, Republican and Democrat, needs to condemn it.” [Rashida Tlaib] “For being a member of this pro-terrorism group,” Florida Republican Sen. Tim Scott wrote on X, previously Twitter.
California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa told Fox News Digital that he believes the Democratic Party has a “worsening anti-Semitism problem.”
“These reports only add to my conclusion that the Democratic Party — including in the House — has a clear and present anti-Semitism problem,” Issa said. “And it seems to be getting worse.”
Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn commented that such connections to members of Congress are troubling.
“Rashida Tlaib appears to be part of a group that glorifies the horrific October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel,” Blackburn said on X. “These connections by members of Congress continue to be troubling.”
Tlaib initially joined the Palestinian American Congress in 2018 and has been active in it in the past. Its founder, Maher Abdel Qader, has long-standing ties to Tlaib and has faced scrutiny for his anti-Semitic social media posts.
The House of Representatives votes to censure Rashida Tlaib over her anti-Israel comments
Tlaib has a long history of anti-Israel comments. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)
Following the Hamas attack, several individuals took to the forum at the US-Palestinian Congressional Group to share messages of support for the terrorist group.
On October 10, one of its members expressed his opinion about the US media’s designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization, but did not mention “the killing of Palestinian women and children and entire families on a daily basis by the Israeli occupation forces.” [peace-loving] The State of Israel uses American gifts of weapons and jet fighters.”
They wrote, “Yesterday I did not see Hamas. I saw the descendants of refugees who were ethnically cleansed from their homeland attacking the descendants of the colonialists who sent them to the diaspora.”
Days later, on October 12, another member wrote: “We don’t want to throw you into the sea… We want you to take the boat back to where you came from.” The message included a picture of an elderly Israeli woman and a Hamas fighter holding her captive.
Another member of the group praised the “achievements” of the “resistance in northern occupied Palestine,” which referred to the killing of dozens of Israeli soldiers.
Other individuals in the private group posted pro-Hamas photos and messages throughout the year.
Tlaib, meanwhile, has a long history of anti-Israel statements, and recently found herself in hot water for her comments after the Hamas invasion, prompting the House of Representatives to vote to convict her in a largely symbolic condemnation.
Rashida Tlaib’s largest fundraiser accuses Israel of wanting to “ethnically cleanse” Palestinians
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, calls for a ceasefire in Gaza during a demonstration outside the US Capitol on October 18, 2023. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
Talib and the founder of the secret Facebook group, Abdelkader, also have a long history.
Abdul Qadir was a major fundraiser for Tlaib, and previously served as chair of the Finance Committee during her 2018 congressional campaign. During that time, Tlaib presented him with a title at a campaign event and presented him with a medal to show appreciation for her help in her campaign.
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Abdelkader has also faced scrutiny for his past statements and social media posts, which included him sharing a video that called Jews “satanic” and questioned whether 6 million of them died in the Holocaust. He later retracted those comments.
Tlaib’s congressional office and Abdul Qadir have not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the group and its membership.