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 people and resulted in the taking of hostages to Gaza, where about 100 are still believed to be held captive.
Netanyahu’s speech at 2 p.m. ET comes at a critical period: The U.S. is in the middle of a chaotic election year, and the Biden administration continues to push negotiators toward a cease-fire agreement that could end the war in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed an estimated 30,000 people, according 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 said before he left for the U.S., according to his office.
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.”
Netanyahu was originally invited by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to address Congress amid the protests and encampments that formed on college campuses this spring.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who as the president of the Senate would normally preside over such an event, will not attend. Neither will several other prominent Democrats. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., an Orthodox Jew and chairman of the Foreign Relation Committee, will preside over the address, instead.
Harris is scheduled to be in Indianapolis on Wednesday as she embarks on her presidential campaign now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race.
Johnson said Tuesday that it is “inexcusable” that Harris is skipping Netanyahu’s speech and that she should be “held accountable” for it.
Harris and Biden are expected to meet separately with Netanyahu during his visit to Washington this week. Biden and Netanyahu are also expected to meet at the White House on Thursday with relatives of the American hostages still held in Gaza, a source familiar with the matter said. On Friday morning, Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
While Netanyahu is likely to receive a warm welcome from Republican lawmakers, it will be more lukewarm from Democrats, some of whom have said they plan to boycott his speech.
More than two dozen Democrats in the House and the Senate have said they plan to skip it, including Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, of Illinois, and Rep. James Clyburn, of South Carolina. Progressives like Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a member of the “squad,” and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are also skipping the speech, as are several Jewish members of Congress, including Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. Those choosing to boycott are outraged at Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there.
“The Hamas attack on October 7 was unprovoked and cowardly, and its continued holding of hostages unconscionable,” Durbin said in a statement. “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 pro tempore of the Senate and another candidate to oversee a joint meeting of Congress, is not going, either. “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.”
The chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who is not attending, either, said Tuesday that she does not think Netanyahu is interested in peace in the Middle East.
“He certainly hasn’t had an interest in bringing home hostage families,” Jayapal said. “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.”
The top two lawmakers in each party — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; 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.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., an ardent supporter of Israel who is attending, said he wanted to hear from Netanyahu about how he plans to bring the hostages home and what to do about Iran.
Netanyahu last addressed Congress in March 2015, and this address, his fourth as prime minister, is expected to draw “a large number of demonstrators,” according to U.S. Capitol Police, which said it has enhanced security measures in anticipation of protests, including erecting the same fencing around the Capitol that was used after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. The department also swore in more than 200 New York police officers to assist in policing events this week in Washington, according to Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry, who shared a video of the swearing-in on X.
In anticipation of the speech, more than 200 Jewish Voice for Peace protesters were arrested after they demonstrated in one of the House office buildings Tuesday and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans, Capitol Police said.
More than two dozen former senior officials who worked in Israel’s security establishment — like the Mossad and Shin Bet — and Israeli businesses have also voiced opposition to Netanyahu’s speaking before Congress. In a letter addressed to congressional leaders, obtained Tuesday by NBC News, they said they have “grave concerns” about the “damage” Netanyahu’s visit will do to the U.S. and Israel’s joint objectives. The letter’s signers include former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Dan Halutz, among others, some of whom worked under Netanyahu’s leadership.
The Biden administration has continued working behind the scenes to try to reach a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared to express some optimism late last week when he said the negotiators were “driving toward the goal line.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
