Apple aren’t objecting to tips. They’re objecting to the zap button underneath each piece of content. And they’ve had a rule that specifies you can’t do that for some time. Their rules are maddeningly complex but this one is right there in plain sight: 
Discussion
Once again, this is the key point of objection.
Notes are not NFTs. Notes are not owned if lightning is tipped directly to a LN address. Tips happens peer-to-peer outside nostr. Nostr client simply provides notes, and information of the poster for all others.
The tip is
1) completely optional
2) 100% go to receiver of the gift
As explicitly stated in the text you shared.
I think I’ll stop arguing here, as Apple’s language - which is intentionally broad with the ‘associated’ term being key here - is clear to me, and it’s equally clear I’m not convincing you otherwise.
I don’t like it, I hope they change it, but it is the reality. We won’t change their mind by telling them their own rule is saying something else.
I hear you, and appreciate the feedback since you know the company well.
Agree company can do what they want.
I think the long-term solution could be to open the eyes of a leader in-house of the opportunity of LN.
What happens if a simple like triggers such a "monetary gift"?
What if you have a bot running somewhere, listening for your likes, and each time you like a note it finds the LN Address of the author and tips some sats.
Would Apple ban likes?
Would Apple even whether this is happening or not?
nostr:note1qqq8pgp23k394cukg4w9mgfjh54z9jhyjukqan582rkks36rhs5s620vev