War criminal, Netanyahu, arrives on Washington
In Washington, D.C., thousands of protesters are planning to march on Capitol Hill today as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress. This comes as the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza tops 39,100 and is expected to rise much higher.On Tuesday, 400 Jewish activists, including over a dozen rabbis, were arrested during a sit-in inside the Capitol. They protested Netanyahu’s visit and demanded an immediate U.S. weapons embargo on the Israeli government.
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers are boycotting Netanyahu’s speech, including Senators Dick Durbin, who is the Majority Whip, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, who spoke on Tuesday. Senator Bernie Sanders stated, “Netanyahu is a right-wing extremist and a war criminal who has devoted his career to killing the prospects of a two-state solution and lasting peace in the region. He should not be welcomed to the United States Congress.”
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin will preside over the Senate during Netanyahu’s speech after Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris declined to attend.
In the House, Democratic Congressmember Rashida Tlaib called for Netanyahu to be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court. She stated, “Netanyahu is a war criminal committing genocide against the Palestinian people.”
New York Congressmember Jerry Nadler, the most senior Jewish member of the House, remarked, “Benjamin Netanyahu is the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans into Jerusalem over 2,100 years ago.”
A number of prominent Israelis have also criticized congressional leaders for inviting Netanyahu. Last month, The New York Times published an essay titled “We Are Israelis Calling on Congress to Disinvite Netanyahu.” The essay was co-authored by six prominent Israelis, including former Israeli President Ehud Barak and former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo.
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