The United States has long been staunch allies with Israel, so it was a bit alarming for some to see a sitting U.S. Congresswoman pose for a picture while wearing a shirt portraying Israel as wiped off the map entirely.
Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat, was promoting a book by anti-Israeli activist Linda Sarsour while wearing a shirt that shows Israel completely swallowed up by Palestine and no longer visible.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the shirt is a common theme among Palestinian activists:
“Stand in solidarity with Palestine by wearing this beautiful Palestinian tee-shirt,” reads one online advertisement for the shirt worn by Tlaib. “An outlined map of Palestine is filled with red, white, and green Arabic letters that look stunning from a distance and spell the word Palestine up close. A patterned shemagh wraps around the neck of the Palestinian state like the brave soldiers whose boots stand on the dusty ground.”
Tlaib, a Muslim, has lent support to the BDS movement, which seeks Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions against the Israeli government for alleged mistreatment of Palestinians.
President Trump, meanwhile, has been a strong supporter of Israel and moved the U.S. Embassy into Jerusalem back in 2018.