Rashida Tlaib blasts 'apartheid state' Israel, alleges murder of Al Jazeera journalist

Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Friday denounced Israel as an "apartheid state" and accused the United States government of ignoring the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

"Israel is an apartheid state, engaged in racist oppression against Palestinians. [The State Department] has failed to find the truth," she wrote on Twitter. "Shireen & her family deserve justice. When Americans are killed abroad our government investigates. But when the murderers wear Israeli uniforms? Silence."

Israel is an apartheid state, engaged in racist oppression against Palestinians. @statedept has failed to find the truth. Shireen & her family deserve justice. When Americans are killed abroad our government investigates. But when the murderers wear Israeli uniforms? Silence. pic.twitter.com/DdXrKdYRUu

— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) July 29, 2022

Abu Akleh died in May from gunfire while covering an Israeli raid on Jenin, a terror hotbed. While Al Jazeera quickly blamed Israeli troops for her death, saying she was "in cold blood, assassinated," video footage suggested that Palestinian militants may have fired the fatal rounds. Palestinian Authorities declined to cooperate with Israeli security to investigate her death.

Tlaib's statement comes as Senate Democrats work to tie State Department funding to an inquiry on blocking funding to Israel over the journalist's death.