A small but growing number of Democratic members of the House and Senate have said they plan to boycott Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled address Wednesday to a joint session of Congress.
“Tomorrow's address is the next step in a long line of manipulative bad-faith efforts by Republicans to further politicize the US-Israel relationship for partisan gain,” Representative Jerry Nadler of New York said on Tuesday.
It “is a cynical stunt by Netanyahu aimed at aiding his own desperate political standing at home. There is no question in my mind it should not be happening,” Nadler charged.
“Netanyahu is the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans into Jerusalem over 2100 years ago,” he stated.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durban of Illinois said he would not stand by and “cheer Netanyahu” given his handling of the Gaza war and his refusal to consider any peace plan.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland took to the Senate floor on Tuesday and accused Netanyahu of thwarting peace and the creation of a two-state resolution to the conflict.
“Netanyahu and his extremist allies like [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich and [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir want the land of the West Bank to be fully incorporated into the state of Israel.
“They want to complete their messianic vision of a greater Israel that includes all of the West Bank. Indeed, that goal is plainly written out for all to see in their coalition government platform,” he said.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vernon, in a statement he issued Tuesday, said, “I agree with both the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations independent commission that both Benjamin Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar are war criminals.”
“Netanyahu should not be welcomed into the United States Congress. On the contrary, his policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution should be roundly condemned.
“In my view, his right-wing, extremist government should not receive another nickel of US taxpayer support to continue the inhumane destruction of Gaza,” Sanders said.
Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon accused Netanyahu of killing women and children in Gaza and inflicting starvation on that enclave. He has prioritized his own political survival over the release of the hostages and “should not have a platform before Congress.”
Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina is also expected not to attend, according to a statement he gave to the Associated Press.
American Jewish Congress condemns calls for boycott
American Jewish Congress President Daniel Rosen said that those who are skipping the speech to protest Netanyahu are in effect boycotting Israel.
Among the surprising absences will be that of Republican Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, who is a strong supporter of Israel, but who his office said, for scheduling reasons can not attend. He is running for the office of vice president with Trump. As such he is the representative of the Trump ticket who could have attended, as Trump is not a member of Congress.