Substantial Number of US House Representatives Chose to Skip Netanyahu’s Speech

Washington, MINA – Amid persistent protests during his visit to the US capital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced an unprecedented boycott from about half of the Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate as he addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reports.

Based on an exhaustive analysis of public statements, media reports and video footage, Anadolu determined that a historic number of House representatives and senators skipped Netanyahu’s speech. The total of at least 96 lawmakers is nearly double the number of Democrats who boycotted his 2015 address 58.

The sweeping volume of holdouts stands in stark contrast to the dozens of standing ovations Netanyahu received from many of the lawmakers present Wednesday.

While many lawmakers had previously announced their intention to boycott the address, Representative Rashida Tlaib, the sole Palestinian-American lawmaker, chose to attend, donning a keffiyeh and holding a sign reading “war criminal” on one side, and “guilty of genocide” on the other in a prominent display of defiance.

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After Netanyahu concluded his remarks, Tlaib said the standing ovations for the Israeli premier were “disgusting.”

Her criticism did not stand alone, however.

Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, called Netanyahu’s speech “the worst” address from a foreign leader in US history.

“Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber today was by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said on X.

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“Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings,” she wrote. “These families are asking for a cease-fire deal that will bring the hostages home – and we hope the Prime Minister would spend his time achieving that goal.”

For many Democrats, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s decision to invite Netanyahu was inexcusable in the face of Gaza’s mounting death toll, raising questions of hypocrisy.

“Gaza has been decimated by the Israeli military using weapons provided by the United States. Over 39,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, and more are being killed every day. Most homes, most infrastructure, destroyed. And yet, what do we do? We welcome Netanyahu, the person responsible for this, to address Congress with open arms,” Representative Summer Lee, one of the dozens who boycotted, said on the House floor Wednesday morning.

“When Putin commits war crimes, we condemn him. When Netanyahu commits war crimes, we give him excuses and bombs. This hypocrisy is not lost on the world,” she added just hours before Netanyahu delivered his remarks. (T/RE1/P2)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)