WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday afternoon, his first since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel killed 1,200 folks and resulted within the taking of hostages to Gaza, the place about 100 are nonetheless believed to be held captive.
Netanyahu’s speech at 2 p.m. ET comes at a important interval: The U.S. is in the course of a chaotic election year, and the Biden administration continues to push negotiators toward a cease-fire agreement that would finish the struggle in Gaza, the place greater than 39,000 folks have been killed, in accordance to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
“In my speech, I will emphasize the importance of bipartisan support for Israel, I will address our friends on both sides of the map and tell them that regardless of who will be chosen to lead the American people after the presidential elections, Israel is the most important ally of the United States in the Middle East, an irreplaceable ally,” Netanyahu mentioned earlier than he left for the U.S., in accordance to his workplace.
He added, “I think that in this time of war and uncertainty, it is of utmost importance that our enemies know that the US and Israel stand together — today, tomorrow and forever.”
Foreign leaders sometimes address Congress in coordination with official invites from the president. But on this case, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in March publicly started pushing for a Netanyahu address to lawmakers amid pro-Palestinian protests and encampments that shaped on faculty campuses this spring.
The invite, months earlier than the overall election, underscored the GOP’s help for Israel and additional drove a wedge between Democrats who’ve been divided over Netanyahu’s dealing with of the struggle in Gaza.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y, the highest-ranking Jewish American in Washington who had called for new elections to replace Netanyahu, later despatched the formal invitation with Johnson. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are anticipated to meet individually with Netanyahu this week on the White House.
Harris, who because the president of the Senate would usually preside over such an address, will not attend the speech Wednesday. Neither will a number of different outstanding Democrats, together with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the No. 2 chief. Retiring Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., an Orthodox Jew and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, will preside over the address, as a substitute.
Harris is scheduled to be in Indianapolis on Wednesday as she embarks on her presidential marketing campaign now that Biden has dropped out of the race.
Johnson mentioned Tuesday that it’s “inexcusable” that Harris is skipping Netanyahu’s speech and that she ought to be “held accountable” for it.
Six households of American hostages are in Washington for Netanyahu’s go to and mentioned they’re upset that he made the journey fairly than staying in Israel making an attempt to get their family members residence. Some will likely be watching the speech from the House chamber earlier than assembly with the speaker and Netanyahu after.
The households mentioned they’re trying towards a Thursday assembly on the White House with Biden and Netanyahu as an opportunity for the U.S. to strain the prime minister to agree to a deal as quickly as subsequent week to finish the struggle.
On Friday morning, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
His vice presidential decide, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, may even miss Netanyahu’s speech as a result of “he has duties to fulfill as the Republican nominee for Vice President,” Jason Miller, senior adviser to the Trump marketing campaign, mentioned in an announcement.
Democrats boycott
While Netanyahu is probably going to obtain a heat welcome from Republican lawmakers, will probably be extra lukewarm from Democrats, a few of whom have mentioned they plan to boycott his speech.
Roughly 40 Democrats within the House and the Senate have mentioned they plan to skip it, outraged at Netanyahu’s insurance policies and the rising humanitarian disaster in Gaza, and calling his address months earlier than the election politicized and improper.
“He’s a war criminal!” progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. advised NBC News.
And Pelosi “will join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings,” her spokesperson Ian Krager mentioned in an announcement.
Other high Democrats boycotting the address embrace Rep. James Clyburn, of South Carolina, the influential Black Caucus member, and Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. Other progressives like Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a member of the “squad,” and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are additionally skipping the speech, as are a number of Jewish members of Congress, together with Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.
“The Hamas attack on October 7 was unprovoked and cowardly, and its continued holding of hostages unconscionable,” Durbin mentioned in an announcement. “However, Israel’s execution of its war in Gaza under the direction of Prime Minister Netanyahu with 39,000 Palestinians dead and 90,000 injured is a brutal strategy beyond any acceptable level of self-defense. … I will stand by Israel, but I will not stand and cheer its current Prime Minister at tomorrow’s Joint Session.”
Notably, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the president professional tempore of the Senate and one other candidate to oversee a joint assembly of Congress, just isn’t going, both. “Securing a lasting, mutual ceasefire is of the utmost importance right now, and I will continue to push for one to be reached as soon as possible,” Murray said in a statement. “I hope Prime Minister Netanyahu will use the opportunity to address how he plans to secure a ceasefire—and lasting peace in the region.”
Jayapal mentioned Tuesday that she doesn’t assume Netanyahu is excited by peace within the Middle East.
“He certainly hasn’t had an interest in bringing home hostage families,” Jayapal mentioned. “I think he’s — he may be shilling for Donald Trump, but, you know, that is at the cost of security for Israel, it’s at the cost of security for the Palestinians, and it’s at the cost of peace, more broadly, in the Middle East and certainly at the cost of bringing home the families of the hostages that are there, including the eight American hostages that still remain.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., the first Generation Z member of Congress, will boycott the speech, as well. “I detest [Netanyahu’s] leadership. I think what’s going on in Gaza is horrible,” Frost said Tuesday. “He opposes a two-state solution, which is what we are for as a country — it’s the policy of our country. I don’t think he should have been invited in the first place.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is the first GOP lawmaker to say he’ll boycott the speech, saying on X, “The purpose of having Netanyahu address Congress is to bolster his political standing in Israel and to quell int’l opposition to his war.”
“I don’t feel like being a prop so I won’t be attending,” he said.
The top party leaders in each chamber — Schumer; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; and Johnson — are all participating in a meeting with Netanyahu ahead of his speech.
“Even though I disagree with many of Bibi Netanyahu’s policies,” Schumer mentioned, (*7*)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., an ardent supporter of Israel who’s attending, mentioned he wished to hear from Netanyahu about how he plans to convey the hostages residence and what to do about Iran.
Protests anticipated
Wednesday marks Netanyahu’s fourth address to Congress, probably the most of any international chief in historical past. Winston Churchill, the legendary British prime minister, addressed Congress 3 times.
Netanyahu final addressed Congress almost a decade in the past, in March 2015, in an identical political scenario. Then-Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, had invited Netanyahu to address Congress about threats from Iran with out consulting President Barack Obama. The White House slammed it as a breach of diplomatic protocol.
It’s “somewhat similar” to Netanyahu’s 2015 address, mentioned Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, the highest Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. “It seems like it’s politics; it seemed that what Boehner did was trying to influence … it was a political season then.”
U.S. Capitol Police warned that Wednesday’s speech might draw “a large number of demonstrators,” in accordance to U.S. Capitol Police.
The Capitol Police mentioned it has enhanced safety measures in place in anticipation of protests, together with erecting the identical fencing across the Capitol that was used after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. The division additionally swore in additional than 200 New York cops to help in policing occasions this week in Washington, in accordance to Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry, who shared a video of the swearing-in on X.
On Tuesday, greater than 200 Jewish Voice for Peace protesters were arrested after they demonstrated in one of many House workplace buildings and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans, Capitol Police mentioned.
More than two dozen former senior officers who labored in Israel’s safety institution — just like the Mossad and Shin Bet — and Israeli companies have additionally voiced opposition to Netanyahu’s talking earlier than Congress. In a letter addressed to congressional leaders, obtained Tuesday by NBC News, they mentioned they’ve “grave concerns” concerning the “damage” Netanyahu’s go to will do to the U.S. and Israel’s joint goals. The letter’s signers embrace former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and former Israel Defense Forces chief of workers Dan Halutz, amongst others, a few of whom labored below Netanyahu’s management.
The Biden administration has continued working behind the scenes to strive to attain a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared to express some optimism late final week when he mentioned the negotiators had been “driving toward the goal line.”
