Rashida Tlaib condemns racist and Islamophobic cartoon depicting her with exploding pager

Cartoon by Henry Payne targets Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress and a fierce critic of IDF's actions

US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has condemned a political cartoon published by the National Review that portrays her with an exploding pager, calling it racist and Islamophobic.

The cartoon, created by Henry Payne, references recent explosions in Lebanon where pagers used by Hezbollah members reportedly detonated, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

Israel has been accused of being responsible for the explosions, though it has not officially claimed responsibility.

Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress and a fierce critic of Israel’s military actions, said the cartoon would incite further hate and violence against Arab and Muslim communities.

"Our community is already in so much pain," Tlaib wrote on social media, adding that such depictions normalize racism and put lives at risk.

The cartoon showed a woman labeled as "Rep. Tlaib" sitting next to a pager that explodes while she comments, "ODD. MY PAGER JUST EXPLODED."

Payne's title for the cartoon, “Tlaib Pager Hamas,” sparked outrage online, with many social media users condemning it as offensive. Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud called the cartoon "disgusting" and criticized the normalization of anti-Arab bigotry.

Tlaib's supporters, including fellow Democratic representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush, as well as several human rights organizations, have echoed her concerns.

Payne, who works as a political cartoonist for The Detroit News, has yet to comment publicly on the controversy.

The recent pager explosions in Lebanon followed attacks that killed dozens and injured thousands.

While the Lebanese government and Hezbollah blame Israel, the Israeli government has not confirmed involvement, though its defense minister praised the Mossad for its "great achievements."

Tlaib has faced ongoing criticism and anti-Arab sentiment due to her outspoken opposition to US support for Israel and its actions in Gaza.

She continues to speak out against what she calls human rights abuses in the region, despite being censured by the US House of Representatives last year for her criticisms of Israel.

As tensions across the Middle East remain high, Tlaib and her allies warn against rising Islamophobia and racism, urging the media to avoid contributing to further division.

At least 32 people, including two children, lost their lives and thousands were injured, many severely, after communication devices, some reportedly used by the militant group Hezbollah, exploded across Lebanon on September 18 and September 19.

On September 19, the latest wave of blasts involved exploding walkie-talkies, which claimed 20 lives and left at least 450 people injured, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

These explosions occurred near a large crowd gathered for the funerals of four victims from Tuesday's pager explosions, which killed at least 12 people and injured nearly 3,000.