Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, is facing criticism for defending a phrase used by anti-Israel protesters that one antisemitism watchdog defines as "code for eradicating" Israel. The phrase in question is "From the river to the sea," which Tlaib claims is an aspirational call for freedom and coexistence. However, critics argue that it is a call for the elimination of the Jewish state. The Anti-Defamation League previously called out Tlaib for using the phrase in 2020.

Former counterterrorism expert Nathan Sales also condemned the use of the phrase, stating that it reflects a desire for the "extermination of the Jewish state." Tlaib's defense of the phrase comes amid mounting tensions between Israel and Palestine, with Tlaib accusing President Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza.

Tlaib's video message called on Biden to support a ceasefire in the region, warning him that the American people would not forget his actions during the Israel-Hamas war when he seeks reelection in 2024. Tlaib has faced backlash for her vocal opposition to the Biden administration's alliance with Israel, but she remains committed to fighting for justice and dignity for all people regardless of faith or ethnicity.