Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday sparked controversy and division among lawmakers and US citizens. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian-American member of Congress, held up a sign labeling Netanyahu a “war criminal” and “guilty of genocide” during his speech today.
Tlaib, a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, was joined by Hani Almadhoun, a Palestinian who has lost numerous family members in the conflict.
Tlaib was accompanied by an invited guest, Hani Almadhoun, a Palestinian who has lost more than 150 members of his extended family since Israel launched its war with the aim of destroying Hamas.
“After witnessing his sister forced to eat animal feed, he and his family were determined to start a soup kitchen to feed their starving neighbors,” Tlaib wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
I will never back down in speaking truth to power.
The apartheid government of Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. Palestinians will not be erased. Solidarity with all those outside of these walls in the streets protesting and exercising their right to dissent. pic.twitter.com/TSbbXdv13U
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 24, 2024
Outside the Capitol, thousands of protesters demonstrated against Netanyahu’s visit, with some being kept back by police using pepper spray. Six protesters were arrested inside the House of Representatives before Netanyahu began speaking. While some lawmakers gave Netanyahu a standing ovation, others chose to stay away.
Netanyahu’s US visit comes amid growing concerns over the humanitarian toll of Israel’s nine-month ground invasion in Gaza, with Americans deeply divided on the issue. Netanyahu’s speech highlighted the sharp divisions within the US Congress and the country at large on Israel’s actions in the region.
In his address, Netanyahu said only military pressure can free the hostages and defeat Hamas, which launched a shock attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians.
Netanyahu said he was “confident” in efforts to secure the release of the 114 hostages still in Gaza, where Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 39,145 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
He also used his address to call for a global alliance against Iran, which he accuses of funding anti-Israel protests. He also slammed ceasefire demonstrators and praised President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump for their efforts towards Middle East peace.
