US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib Addresses Ceasefire Protest After Asserting Israel Responsible for Hospital Blast
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib addressed a protest in Washington calling for an immediate Israel-Hamas ceasefire on Wednesday, October 19, one day after she asserted that Israel was responsible for the explosion at a hospital in Gaza.
“That’s what’s been really painful, just continue to watch people think it’s okay to bomb a hospital where children,” Tlaib said in a clip from the event, part of which can be heard in this footage. "You know what’s so hard sometimes is watching those videos and the people telling the kids, ’Don’t cry.’ I’m like, let them cry! And they’re shaking, and somebody, you know this, they keep telling them not to cry in Arabic.
“They can cry, I can cry, we all can cry. If we’re not crying, something is wrong,” Tlaib said. “And so I’m telling you now, President Biden, not all of America is with you on this one, and you need to wake up and understand that.”
Palestinian officials said Tuesday’s explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza was caused by an Israeli airstrike. However, Israel, the United States, and independent experts have said initial intelligence indicates that the blast was caused by a Palestinian militant group, and not an Israeli airstrike.
The demonstration, organized by the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and IfNotNow, began at noon. Demonstrators called on lawmakers to work toward a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
This video then shows protestors marching towards the Capitol and House Office buildings chanting, “No more weapons, no more war, ceasefires what we’re calling for.”
Capitol Police said the arrests in relation to the protest were ongoing on Wednesday evening. Three people were arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer, police said. Credit: Wid Lyman via Storyful
Video Transcript
RASHIDA TLAIB: --continue to watch people think it's OK to bomb a hospital with children. You know what's so hard sometimes is watching those videos, and the people telling the kids, don't cry. I'm like, let them cry. And they're shaking, and some of you know this. They keep telling them not to cry in Arabic.
They can cry. I can cry. We all can cry. If we're not crying, something is wrong. And so I'm telling you right now, President Biden, not all of America is with you on this one. And you need to wake up and understand that. We are literally [INAUDIBLE] watching people commit genocide and killing the vast majority just like this. And we still stand by and say nothing.
We will remember this. But all of you, you need to know. I swear to God, [INAUDIBLE] [? Allah, ?] you are on the right side of history. You are. You're doing everything possible to save lives. What is wrong with that? Stop it with trying to politicize this.
- --more war. Cease fire is what we're calling for.
- No more weapons! No more war! Cease fire's what we're calling for!
- No more weapons. No more war. Cease fire is what we're calling for.
- Free, free, free Palestine!
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- Free, free, free Palestine.
- (SINGING) Oh, when the people rise up, the powers come down. Gotta rise up. Rise up till it's won. We're gonna rise up.
