Democratic Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser faced criticism Thursday after liking a “libelous antisemitic tweet,” according to a watchdog organization.
Bowser liked a tweet that Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib posted Wednesday in which Tlaib criticized Israel.
“Palestinians may be banned from flying their flag under an apartheid government, but we can still proudly do it at my office,” she tweeted. “I’m proud to be a Palestinian American and I want the Palestinian people to know that not all Americans support apartheid. No one can erase our existence.”
Tlaib also included a picture of herself standing in front of the American flag, Michigan flag and Palestinian flag outside her congressional office. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Chip Roy, Sen. Ted Cruz Introduce Legislation To Bar Illegal Immigrants From Voting In DC)
Palestinians may be banned from flying their flag under an apartheid government, but we can still proudly do it at my office. I’m proud to be a Palestinian American and I want the Palestinian people to know that not all Americans support apartheid. No one can erase our existence. pic.twitter.com/vuW5ciLo1k
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) January 25, 2023
We are extremely concerned Washington DC Mayor @MurielBowser @MayorBowser ‘liked’ Rashida Tlaib’s false and libelous antisemitic tweet.
DC’s Mayor must build bridges of cohesion and collaboration not amplify voices of hate and division. pic.twitter.com/O87AFpIapU
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 26, 2023
StopAntisemitism, a nonpartisan watchdog organization, quickly denounced Tlaib’s tweet and Bower’s decision to like it. “We are extremely concerned Washington DC Mayor @MurielBowser@MayorBowser ‘liked’ Rashida Tlaib’s false and libelous antisemitic tweet,” the group tweeted Thursday morning. “DC’s Mayor must build bridges of cohesion and collaboration not amplify voices of hate and division. Over the past year, there has been a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in DC. What is @MayorBowser@MurielBowser doing about it.”
StopAntisemitism is a “leading non-partisan American based organization fighting antisemitism,” according to its official website. The group was founded in 2018 and tracks incidents of antisemitism around the country.
StopAntisemitism and Bowser’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.