Israel-Hamas war: Rep. Rashida Tlaib called out by fellow Democrat: 'I would apologize'

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) attends a House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation hearing about artificial intelligence on Capitol Hill July 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

"Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., was criticized by a fellow Michigan congresswoman who asked her to apologize for her rhetoric during Israel's war against Hamas.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., called out Tlaib in posts on X, formerly known on Twitter, on Sunday evening.

"As the only Jewish member of MI’s congressional delegation, I have worked to reach out to Arab & Muslim constituents who I know are feeling fear and anguish right now, & I have tried to reflect that empathy in my approach to this crisis," she wrote. "I ask the same of @RepRashida."

"The phrase 'from the river to the sea' is one of division & violence, & it is counterproductive to promoting peace. None of us, especially elected leaders, should amplify language that inflames a tense situation & makes it harder for our communities to find common ground," Slotkin added.

Tlaib had recently defended the phrase as an "aspirational call for freedom." The Anti-Defamation League has maintained that it is an antisemitic expression calling for Israel's annihilation and the ethnic cleansing of its land.

"If I knew that a phrase I’d used had hurt any of my constituents, I would apologize & retract it, no matter its origin," the congresswoman added. "I’d ask the same from you."