FACT CHECK: Viral Image Links Rashida Tlaib’s Scarf To The ‘Islamic Terrorist State’
A viral Facebook post claims Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib wore a “symbolic scarf patterned after the Islamic terrorist state.”
Facebook/Screenshot
“She’s a member of Congress,” reads part of the post. “Let that sink in… are you ok with this given her stated allegiance is with our sworn enemies who chant DEATH TO AMERICA?”
Verdict: False
The photo shows Tlaib wearing a keffiyeh, a checkered scarf that represents “solidarity with the Palestinian people.” It does not symbolize the Islamic State.
Fact Check:
The viral post features two photos of people wearing checkered scarves known as keffiyehs: one of an armed individual with the scarf over his face, the other of Tlaib with the scarf around her neck. (RELATED: Does This Photo Show Rashida Tlaib Celebrating Trump’s Impeachment?)
“A U.S. Congresswoman wears the symbolic scarf patterned after the Islamic terrorist state,” claims the post. “She’s on the floor of the House of Congress. She does so with her hand over her heart”
Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, did wear a keffiyeh on the House floor Dec. 6, while delivering remarks against House Resolution 326, which promotes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But, contrary to the post’s claim, the keffiyeh does not symbolize the Islamic State.
The keffiyeh actually represents “a solidarity with the Palestinian people,” said University of Northern Iowa political science professor Evan Renfro, according to The Associated Press. “There’s no connotation with terrorism.”
The red-and-white keffiyeh, PolitiFact reported, is often associated with Islamic militant group Hamas, while the black-and-white version connects more to Fatah, a nationalist group that has renounced armed violence. Keffiyeh-inspired fashion designs have been worn by people around the world, according to The Guardian.
This isn’t the first time Tlaib has worn traditional Palestinian clothing. In January 2019, she wore a traditional Palestinian gown to her swearing in to the House of Representatives, reported CNN.
