Former CIA analyst Fred Fleitz and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told Newsmax Friday that Rep. Rashida Tlaib's recent comments about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "disgusting" and "harmful to the very fabric of the American republic."
On Wednesday, the Michigan Democrat called Netanyahu a "genocidal maniac" in a post on her Instagram account and accused members of Congress of supporting a "war criminal" by meeting with him.
During an appearance on Newsmax's "American Agenda," Fleitz called Tlaib's rhetoric "disgusting" and said he thinks "the American people are getting tired of it."
"She's already been censured for this type of talk," he said. "I would censure her again. I would take away all her committee assignments. And I think we need to have a strong bipartisan condemnation of any member of Congress who engages in such hateful rhetoric."
Tlaib was censured in early November for her comments about the Israel-Hamas war in a 234-188 vote. Some Democrats joined with Republicans to rebuke the three-term congresswoman, who is the only Palestinian-American in Congress.
Shaffer said that the progressive lawmaker, who is also a member of the "Squad," is "out of her league and saying things which are harmful to the very fabric of the American republic."
"Let's be clear: The Israelis, the military is doing the best they can," he said. "They're going house to house, room to room. They've suffered 100 dead, 400 other casualties. They're being very precise in the delivery of military force. And when she says this, it damages everything that we stand for as Americans.
"Remember, the 7 of October and those horrendous war crimes by Hamas are why we're here," Shaffer continued. "The fact is, everybody should see that film that the Israelis are quietly putting out ... it should not be held back. The American public deserves to see why Tlaib's words are so damaging and out of touch with what really happened and why we're seeing the war we are."
The 43-minute-long video of Hamas atrocities was produced by the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson's office and shows uncensored, difficult-to-watch footage, much of which was taken from militants' bodycams during their brutal incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7.
According to The Times of Israel, it has been shown to journalists and to Israeli Knesset members, as well as in limited screenings around the world.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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