Tlaib refuses to apologize for blaming Israel for Gaza hospital blast, attacks Biden

MicroWave@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 340 points – Tlaib refuses to apologize for blaming Israel for Gaza hospital blast, attacks Biden
abcnews.go.com

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib refused to apologize Wednesday for saying on Tuesday that Israel is to blame for the hospital explosion that day in Gaza, an accusation that sparked political backlash against her from Republicans as Israel denies fault.

Tlaib joined thousands of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during a solidarity rally hosted by the left-leaning group Jewish Voice for Peace at the National Mall. She was visibly emotional, at times pausing her speech to openly weep and criticizing lawmakers who have not backed a ceasefire resolution.

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That's not true, they prove that she has a brain and is trying to use it unlike about 430 of her colleagues

You can acknowledge that there is uncertainty around who is responsible for the hospital, you can apologize for attributing blame prematurely without confirmation, and still hold Israel accountable for being reckless and disproportional in it's response and call for peace. It's damaging to her reputation and cause to double down on this when more evidence is coming out contrary to her initial claims.

Why do you think she's doubling down?

The headline said she's not apologizing for her earlier remarks, not that she refuses to consider that it might have been a case of friendly fire.

In fact, the article itself shows she's not doubling down. She's just not apologetic about taking initial reports at face value.

"Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel," she wrote. "It is a reminder that information is often unreliable and disputed in the fog of war (especially on Twitter where misinformation is rampant). We all have a responsibility to ensure information we are sharing is from credible sources and to acknowledge as new reports come in."

Evidence like that Pentagon report? Lmfao

Sorry if I'm a little callous about the Pentagon reporting on the middle east

So what sources are you holding in higher esteem?

Well there is the hospital itself, which was being bombed by Israel just days before this incident, who said immediately after the incident that this was an Israeli attack.

Logical reasoning, pretty much anyone but the pentagon or anyone who cites that information was transmitted between states.

Relief organizations are more reliable, as are civilian social media. I don't trust people with guns and bombs to tell you honestly what they're gonna do with them.

I would generally trust people with guns and weapons data and expertise to provide the best analysis of evidence use to understand weapon use. Also, we are seeing more independent reporting with similar conclusions based on photographs of craters (or lack there of), long periods of burning (which is characteristic of rocket fuel burning not bomb explosions which tend to not cause long burning fires), etc.

Argue the point all you want, I still don't trust the people with the power to wipe Gaza off the map not to do it.

Well that's a different point that the concrete and specific question of who and what destroyed this specific hospital.