United States Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) walked into University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Mahar Auditorium on the night of Nov. 22 to a standing ovation from a sold out audience. Tlaib is the only Palestinian-American member of Congress and a prominent critic of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Her talk, titled “What Now: Resisting Occupation & Genocide” focused on the future of pro-Palestinian resistance in the wake of recent political developments.

Tlaib has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights and a sharp critic of the Biden administration’s support for Israel amid ongoing violence in Gaza. Her stance has drawn censure from the House of Representatives and criticism from media outlets, while earning her praise from human rights advocates. Earlier this month, Tlaib was reelected to her fourth term representing Michigan’s 12th Congressional District.

“I don’t usually do this, but I felt this sense that you all would always have my back,” Tlaib addressed the audience. “Coming to spaces [like this], sometimes, I unfortunately don’t always feel safe, but I do right now and thank you for that.” Many of those in attendance were wearing keffiyeh scarves as a show of solidarity, including Tlaib herself.

The event started with a speech from Sut Jhally, a professor in the communications department and the executive director of the Media Education Foundation. He began his speech with the acknowledgement that people can no longer be uninformed in the violence in Gaza. He explained that “being a passive bystander is now not merely morally reprehensible, but also impossible … ignorance is no longer an excuse.”

Jhally then went on to talk about the limitations of free speech being brought to light through Donald Trump’s reelection. Trump has been explicit in his sentiments to reduce pro-Palestinian speech, issuing a warning that college campuses allowing pro-Palestinian protests will be reprimanded.

“We are going to find out very soon if Chancellor Reyes is going to be the chancellor of those who want to censor speech, like Donald Trump … or whether he will work to protect the scholarly and intellectual integrity of his faculty, of his staff and his students,” said Jhally. “Will he be a chancellor for them, or will he be a chancellor for us?”

Maha and Leyla Moushabeck introduced Rep. Tlaib over a pre-recorded video and an undisclosed location off-campus. The Moushabeck sisters are Palestinian-American, organizers of Valley Families for Palestine, and co-own Interlink Publishing, the only Palestinian-American publishing company. They were arrested last May at the UMass Gaza solidarity encampments, and subsequently barred from returning to campus for two years.

“We’re here to tell Congresswoman Tlaib and all the brave students and faculty fighting for Palestinian Liberation that you do not stand alone,” Leyla Moushabeck said. “Our community stands with you. We ask each of you here tonight to remember that our struggles are connected and that this is a responsibility we must bear together.”

Tlaib’s appearance comes amid heightened tensions and international debate surrounding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as activists and policymakers continue to grapple with questions of human rights and accountability. On Thursday, judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

The event was co-sponsored by groups including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Middle East Forum, concluded with a “free flowing conversation about current events” between Tlaib and Michel Moushabeck, father of Maha and Leyla and founder of Interlink Publishing.

Tlaib reflected on her upbringing in Detroit’s diverse neighborhoods, and her motivation to enter politics stemming from taking on her passion to take on corporate polluters and “fighting for the most vulnerable.” Her identity as a proud Palestinian-American remains central to the work she does, as she recounted wearing her mother’s Palestinian thobe during her swearing in ceremony, despite warnings it might be “too aggressive.”

“I wanted everyone to know I am Palestinian and proud,” she said. “It’s about honoring my ancestors and my community.”

Tlaib also spoke candidly about the obstacles she faces in congress, where she says she has faced bullying, intimidation, and attempts to erase her lived experience.

“Even prior to the genocide starting, it was obvious that my mere existence was the resistance,” she explained.

Tlaib criticized Congress for its lack of action on the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Moushabeck agreed with her, his voice filled with emotion as he stated “every day in Gaza is a day of massacres … it’s a day of death and destruction, and every day in Congress and the White House is a day of complicity.”

Both speakers went on to show their support for the growing solidarity amongst diverse communities, particularly the involvement of American Jews in pro-Palestinan movements. Tlaib praised groups like JVP which have been vocal in opposing U.S. support for Israeli military actions.

“It’s been beautiful to see my Jewish siblings standing shoulder to shoulder with us,” Tlaib said.

“This is an American movement of all ethnicities and faiths coming together to save lives, no matter their background,” Moushakek said.

Moushabek and Tlaib also discussed the power of storytelling. Moushabek shared how his daughter retold his family’s history of displacement through the form of a children’s book. Tlaib shared a story of her own family’s displacement, recounting her grandfather’s refusal to leave his home during the Nakba.

During her address, Tlaib discussed the challenges of advocating for Palestinian rights within the U.S. political system. She called for community-led action to promote justice and accountability, while commending UMass students and Amherst community members for their advocacy, referring specifically to the encampment last spring.

Tlaib then spoke about the “blind eye” that she suggests congressional members show when speaking out against the ongoing violence in Gaza. She and Moushabeck criticized the White House’s actions and questioned how much suffering it might take for policy changes to be made.

“I said this to one colleague, I said ‘Literally childrens’ skin melting away because of white phosphorus is not enough? A person burned alive while they’re stuck to an IV is not enough? Literally watching children be smushed between two concrete, not enough?’” Talib said. “My colleagues are almost trying to intentionally be blinded, blind to it all … the majority of Americans are with us…and that’s something they can’t take away from us. That’s something we have to build on.”

Tlaib condemned congress for their ties to war and profit, saying that the U.S. government systems “are institutions that are addicted to war.”

“I’ve never seen people come together so bipartisanly until the Pentagon budget comes up,” Tlaib said. “I’ve never seen so many passionate speeches until the department of defense budget comes up. It’s unbelievable to me, but when folks are saying ‘let’s save children, let’s save lives, let’s save a whole people from ethnic cleansing, let’s stop this genocide,’ it’s crickets. We have to continue to expose it.”

On Feb. 6 of this year, Tlaib introduced a bill to prevent United States congress members from having stocks in defense departments, as they are simultaneously voting on whether or not to go to war. She said the violence in Gaza has resulted in record profits, and congress members are the ones benefiting.

“It’s insane that the very people that vote for this defense will actually profit personally off of the stock gains every time they press ‘yes’,” Tlaib said. “How is that okay in our congress?”

Tlaib and Moushabeck also talked in-depth about a bill that they referred to as the “non-profit killer bill,” but formally known as H.R. 9495. The bill states that it will be able to reprimand non-profits that are considered “terrorist supporting organizations.” Tlaib heavily condemned this bill, explaining that it clear that it is against pro-Palestinian non-profits.

“This was about silencing dissent, this was about targeting them,” she said. “It was very clear, from the speeches the first time, that this was about silencing … many of the organizations that have been incredibly effective.”

Tlaib concluded her speech with a vivid story about an act of civil disobedience she participated in, alongside 11 other women during former President Donald Trump’s speech at the Detroit Economic Club in 2016. The group disrupted the event by asking questions every two minutes, prompting Secret Service agents to remove them one by one. When it was Tlaib’s turn she stood up and asked Trump, “Have you read the United States Constitution?” before being escorted out of the hall.

Later that evening, Tlaib’s brother called to congratulate her, joking that while it took just two Secret Service agents to remove each of the other women, it took six to escort her out.

“And he’s like ‘I was so proud, it took six to take you out,’ she said, looking at the audience. “And I just want you [all] to know, it’s gonna take a lot more to take me out of the United States Congress.”

Sadaf Tokhi can be reached at [email protected] and Eve Neumann can be reached at [email protected]