Kamala Harris, who traditionally chairs such sessions, will delegate this responsibility on this occasion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the US Congress on Wednesday, aiming to exert pressure on the United States amid ongoing tensions between the two allies following more than nine months of genocidal war in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s visit to Washington coincides with significant political upheaval in the United States. This turmoil includes the attempted assassination of Republican candidate Donald Trump, the withdrawal of Democratic President Joe Biden from the presidential race, and Vice President Kamala Harris entering the race, seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for the November presidential elections.
Netanyahu has previously intervened in American politics; notably, in 2015, he addressed Congress in an attempt to persuade President Barack Obama to reject the Iran nuclear deal.
This marks the fourth occasion—setting a record for a foreign leader—that Netanyahu will address Congress, a privilege typically reserved for leaders on state visits.
Netanyahu’s speech to both houses of Congress is scheduled to begin at 6 pm GMT.
BREAKING: 400 American Jews mark Netanyahu's arrival by refusing to leave Congress until our government listens to the will of the people and STOPS ARMING ISRAEL! pic.twitter.com/WElpHLMHjn
— Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) July 23, 2024
A White House official informed Al-Jazeera that US President Joe Biden is expected to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday, and Vice President Kamala Harris will also hold a separate meeting with Netanyahu, despite missing his congressional speech due to scheduling conflicts.
Harris, who traditionally chairs such sessions, will delegate this responsibility on this occasion.
Reuters news agency reported that an aide to Harris confirmed she would not preside over Netanyahu’s congressional address and would instead meet him at the White House.
Republican candidate Donald Trump expressed his eagerness to meet Netanyahu on Friday to discuss achieving peace in the Middle East. Trump had postponed their meeting at Netanyahu’s request, originally planned for Wednesday.
For his part, US House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed Netanyahu’s visit, emphasizing that Israel is not alone and that the United States remains its closest ally in the Middle East.
Since the war in Gaza began, at least 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and 89,000 injured.
Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be addressing Congress. pic.twitter.com/rhPKgCcMbX
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 24, 2024
Calls for Boycott
Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington on Monday sparked protests in the capital, with demonstrators opposing his visit and condemning the Gaza conflict.
Democratic lawmakers continued to voice their disapproval of Netanyahu’s congressional speech, criticizing his policies.
Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler accused Netanyahu of jeopardizing Israel’s security, the lives of hostages, regional stability, and democratic norms. Nadler described Netanyahu’s address as a political maneuver to bolster his “extremist coalition” and avoid legal issues.
Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois stated he would not support Netanyahu due to his handling of the Gaza conflict and refusal to consider peace plans. Durbin also informed CNN that he would not attend Netanyahu’s speech and planned to release a statement explaining his reasons.
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley criticized Netanyahu’s strategy, which he claimed resulted in the deaths of over 12,000 children and women and caused famine in Gaza. Merkley argued that Netanyahu should not be given a platform while prioritizing his political survival over the lives of detainees.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen urged his colleagues to boycott Netanyahu’s speech, arguing that Congress should not support his ongoing political deception. Van Hollen added that Netanyahu’s policies and statements have strained US-Israel relations.
Left-wing Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted, “No, Netanyahu is not welcome in the US Congress.”
“Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be addressing Congress,” Sanders added.
During a tense meeting with the families of American prisoners, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Netanyahu emphasized his policy of increasing pressure on the Palestinian movement Hamas and rejected any prisoner exchange deal.
Netanyahu is expected to use his congressional address to defend his stance on refusing a prisoner exchange with Hamas, advocate for increased military pressure, and highlight the threats Israel faces from Iran, seeking US support to end the conflict.
(PC, AJA)
Congress showed us, the American citizens, who actually owns our government.
We object!
it’s like they’re purposefully pushing us to see how much we’ll take. They should be careful.