U.S. House condemns Hamas use of rape as weapons of war; Tlaib votes present

[question everything]

The U.S. House of Representatives voted nearly unanimously Wednesday on a resolution condemning Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war since its attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

The resolution, introduced by Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, called for "all nations to criminalize rape and sexual assault and hold accountable all perpetrators of sexual violence, including state and non-state armed groups," according to House records.

The resolution passed with a 418 to 0 vote. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Detroit, was the lone lawmaker to vote "present" during the tally, blaming the resolution for falling short of "acknowledging the sexual abuse of Palestinians."

(snip)

Tlaib in her speech cited an article from Haaretz, an Israeli daily newspaper, reporting on sexual violence and rape committed by Israeli forces against Palestinians who were "severely beaten, stripped to their underwear, and photographed handcuffed, in their underwear," the newspaper reported.

"Children detained and stripped to their underwear in public for the world to see," she said. "... We all have a responsibility to denounce sexual violence in all forms, regardless of who is responsible."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/14/u-s-house-condemns-hamas-use-of-rape-as-weapons-of-war-tlaib-votes-present/72607152007/

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. Hamas Scumbags are currently raping the Israeli hostages.

Link to tweet

[brer cat]

4. Thank you for posting this video. It was hard to watch,

but we need to know how the hostages are being treated. They are going to need great support if they are released. It must be terrifying to be held by these monsters.

[LeftInTX]

2. Did Omar vote yes?

[intheflow]

8. She voted "Present."

So she abstained from the vote. But she also made it clear that her abstention was not a vote in favor of Hamas’ use of sexual violence, but rather a protest of the one-sided nature of this, as Israelis have also engaged in sexual violence.

[Shrek]

9. No, it was Tlaib who voted Present

Omar was one of 12 who did not vote.

https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll044.xml#NV

[Oopsie Daisy]

14. Does it make any difference one way or the other?

I suppose it helps with the historical record. In 100 years, if someone is looking at the votes, it will be difficult to tell if someone refused to vote even though present, or if they were in hospital, or on the campaign trail at that moment. But voting present is a permanent record that someone was there and was casting a protest-vote.

[getagrip_already]

28. She is still a hamas supporter who needs a new job

Absent or present is the same vote. One is just more cowardly.

We need a dem in that seat.

[Oopsie Daisy]

29. Thank you.

[Oopsie Daisy]

13. Oh, brother.

That's disappointing.

[Jose Garcia]

10. She didn't vote at all

[LeftInTX]

25. So, she avoided the issue herself.

[betsuni]

6. ...

[GuppyGal]

18. Agreed....that was truly nauseating to read nt

[Beastly Boy]

7. One might argue that killing and raping hostages only seek to further islamophobic narratives.

But what do I know...

We must not support genocidal theocracies like Israel, the only democratic state in the region. But supporting the not genocidal theocracies like Gaza is just peachy.

Irony is dead.

[The Magistrate]

11. To Accuse Someone Of 'Islamophobia' Here, Sir

Is to acknowledge openly the person you so accuse has a clear understanding of current events, and that yours is a mix of Pollyanna whitewash and knowing falsehood.

[Jose Garcia]

12. I don't believe that Lois Frankel (the sponsor of the bill) is islamsphobic

[Oopsie Daisy]

15. "Whether Israel exists should not be our problem..." 😲🤯🤣

>> "Whether Israel exists should not be our problem..."
Wait... I've heard this tune before... don't tell me... it's right on the tip of my tongue. I just KNOW I've heard this somewhere.

Give me a sec. It'll come to me. 😲🤯🤣

[limbicnuminousity]

16. It should be easy

U.S. House condemns use of rape as weapon of war. But they can't condemn rape prima facie because then they would have to address the 65,000 children born to rape because of their screwed up priorities and half-baked policies.

edit to add- the Republican House, led by the same party which is running a CONVICTED rapist for president, wants to condemn who for what? By what moral standing?

[Zeitghost]

30. This was introduced by a Democrat

And if it wasn't clear, we are condemning Hamas for rape.

[GuppyGal]

17. Big FUCKING PUKE

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Kick

Thank you for the hard watch.

The KKK treated African American women the same way.

A terrorist is a terrorist - regardless of where they are on the map, their race, or their religion.

[Cha]

19. Who Wouldn't Vote YES to Condemn RAPE! With HAMAS it's GANG RAPE.

Link to tweet

[sarisataka]

21. People who celebrate it

or excuse it.

Sadly both have been in the news, and elsewhere, the last few months

[Cha]

22. That's right.. those People.

[Oopsie Daisy]

23. Her political career is nearing its end *

* I believe.

[Cha]

24. I hope so.

[tritsofme]

20. Absolutely disgusting. For shame.

[betsuni]

26. K&R

[iemanja]

27. Sheesh

How hard is it to say rape is bad?