Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), a member of the so-called progressive “Squad” in the U.S. House of Representatives and a frequent critic of the Jewish state, recognized a Palestinian “journalist”—who celebrated Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel as they were occurring—on the House floor on April 5.
“Today, I want to recognize Motaz Azaiza, a Palestinian journalist, for his ongoing coverage of the Palestinian people and his commitment to telling their stories,” she said. “Mr. Azaiza has focused his life’s work on capturing the daily life of Palestinians in Gaza.”
“Since the war began, he has bravely used his platform to document the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the lives of the innocent people who have been killed,” the anti-Israel congresswoman added. “Mr. Azaiza’s images on the ground have exposed the war crimes being committed by the Israeli government for the world to see.”
On April 12, Tlaib posted that she presented Azaiza with a copy of the Congressional Record with her remarks praising him. (The framed document in her photo said April 2, although the remarks were April 5, per the Congressional Record.)
“On Oct. 7, Motaz Azaiza posted, then deleted, a video of Hamas terrorists inside Israel with a caption celebrating their infiltration: ‘The Gazans entered the settlements!!!!!!!! With jeeps we see in the streets of Gaza,’” wrote HonestReporting. “Is that worth honoring, Rep. Tlaib?”
On April 6, Melissa Fleming, under-secretary-general for global communications at the United Nations, posted that she was “so moved” to meet with Azaiza.
“He bore crucial witness to the horror of this war through his images of his people in the rubble, dead, injured or survived,” she wrote.
The United Nations has a documented history of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, and employees of the global body recently told JNS that it has become very difficult to work at the United Nations as Jews since Oct. 7.
On 10/7, @azaizamotaz9 posted, then deleted, a video of Hamas terrorists inside Israel with a caption celebrating their infiltration:
“The Gazans entered the settlements!!!!!!!! With jeeps we see in the streets of Gaza.”
Is that worth honoring, @RepRashida? https://t.co/eAP1Zl4gWv pic.twitter.com/e5EW6CyQX1
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) April 12, 2024