Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress in an effort to strengthen support for his country’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This address comes at the invitation of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who represents the Republican Party’s steadfast backing of Israel.
Despite this, more than 30 Democratic lawmakers, including prominent figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have declared they will not attend the speech. Netanyahu arrived in the U.S. on Monday and is scheduled to speak before Congress on Wednesday. Following his address, he will meet with President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. Additionally, Netanyahu will hold a separate meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed anticipation for the meeting: “Looking forward to welcoming Bibi Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida,” using the common nickname for the Israeli prime minister.
Netanyahu has stated his intention to “present the truth about our just war” during his Congressional address. This visit marks his first trip to the U.S. since the conflict with Hamas commenced nearly 10 months ago. The Israeli Prime Minister is under increasing international and domestic scrutiny regarding his management of the war.
In May, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders, citing alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes. Both Israel and Hamas reacted strongly against this action. Furthermore, last week, the International Court of Justice declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was “illegal,” a conclusion that Israel has rejected.
Protests are anticipated in Washington, with thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators expected to participate in a “day of rage.” Speaker Johnson has cautioned against protests within the House chamber, warning of potential arrests “if we have to do it.”
On Tuesday, approximately 200 Jewish American peace activists staged a protest within the Capitol building complex. They were eventually removed by police; the protesters wore red T-shirts with slogans such as “Not in our name” and “Jews say stop arming Israel.”
Netanyahu’s visit comes amid a strained relationship between his administration and the U.S., particularly with prominent Democrats. President Biden has increasingly criticized Israel as the war persists and the death toll in Gaza rises. Biden, who exited the presidential race on Sunday, faces mounting pressure from his party’s progressive wing to urge Israel to curtail its military actions in Gaza. Vice-President Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, will not assume her role as Senate president during Netanyahu’s speech.
Over 30 Democratic legislators have chosen to skip Netanyahu’s address. Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois, one of the dissenters, expressed his support for Israel but indicated he would not support the current Israeli leader. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders also announced his decision to boycott the speech, condemning the “total war” being waged by Netanyahu’s government in Gaza. Sanders criticized Netanyahu’s policies, stating, “His policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution should be roundly condemned.”
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen commented, “It sends a terrible message to bring him here now to address a joint session of Congress.”
The conflict began when Israel launched a campaign in Gaza in response to a severe attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that over 39,000 people have died in the region, though these figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The World Health Organization expressed significant concern on Wednesday about the potential for a polio outbreak in Gaza following the discovery of traces of the virus in wastewater.