Topline
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking to Congress on Wednesday about Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas, and a number of key Democrats—including Vice President Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—are not attending the controversial address as tensions between the U.S. and Israel continue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress at 2 p.m. EDT—though a … [+]
Key Facts
Harris will not be attending the speech as she had a previous engagement in Indianapolis, though the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is expected to meet with Netanyahu one-on-one on Thursday.
A spokesperson for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told CNN on Wednesday she will not be attending the address and instead “will join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said on X, formerly known as Twitter, she will be boycotting the address and called Netanyahu a “war criminal,” adding: “It is a dark day in US history when an authoritarian with warrant requests from the International Criminal Court is allowed to address a joint session of Congress.”
At least nine senators—including Jewish Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii—have also said they are not attending the address.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., are not attending, either, with Durbin saying in a statement while Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack was “unprovoked and cowardly,” “Israel’s execution of its war … is a brutal strategy beyond any acceptable level of self-defense.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.—the only Republican representative who has announced a plan to boycott—said in a statement on X he is not attending as Netanyahu’s address is “political theater on behalf of the State Department” to help the prime minister “bolster his political standing in Israel.”
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Why Are Democrats Skipping The Address?
Some Democrats are concerned about attending the address and giving the appearance of supporting Netanyahu, who has led Israel through its war with Hamas that has killed nearly 40,000 people in Gaza and led to international calls for a cease-fire and more care not to harm civilians. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will continue the war until Hamas is completely defeated and has opposed a two-state solution, drawing criticism from Democrats who have said they are unsure if Netanyahu wants a peaceful resolution, NBC News reported.
Contra
Some Democrats expressed criticism of Netanyahu but are still planning to attend his speech. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said in a statement Wednesday he would be attending Netanyahu’s speech—though he is meeting with families of hostages before the address and bringing “a close relative of a hostage” as his guest. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., reportedly said he will attend the address “out of respect” for the U.S.-Israel relationship but he is “committed to holding (Netanyahu) accountable.” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.—the only Palestinian American member of Congress—announced Wednesday she would also be attending and bringing a guest impacted by the war, Hani Almadhoun, who Tlaib said on X “has lost over 150 members of his extended family in Netanyahu’s genocide.”
Surprising Fact
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, will not be attending the address, though the Trump campaign said he is not boycotting. In a statement to Reuters, a Trump campaign spokesperson said Vance “stands steadfastly with the people of Israel in their fight to defend their homeland, eradicate terrorist threats, and bring back their countrymen held hostage” but he cannot attend due to vice presidential duties.
Tangent
Four congressional Democrats—Sens. Chris Coons, Del., and Michael Bennet, Colo., and Reps. Thomas Suozzi, N.Y., and Chrissy Houlahan, Pa.—sent Netanyahu a letter dated Tuesday asking him to “avoid partisan rhetoric” in his address and focus on presenting a path toward a cease-fire agreement and return of hostages. The Democrats said doing so is “the only way to maintain bipartisan American support for Israel.”
Key Background
Netanyahu was invited to address Congress by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who extended the invitation—which was signed by all House and Senate leadership—formally at the end of May. The speech and visit come as Israel’s relationship with the U.S. is in a delicate place after being tested for months throughout the war. President Joe Biden has repeatedly said he will stand by Israel, but has become more critical in recent months of Netanyahu’s war strategies and inability to agree to the terms of a cease-fire, as have other countries worldwide that are concerned about the mounting number of casualties in Gaza. Netanyahu recently attacked Biden’s administration, saying it was unacceptable the U.S. was “ withholding” weapons from Israel, though the Biden administration said it didn’t know what he was referring to.
Big Number
4. After today, that’s how many times Netanyahu will have addressed Congress—meaning he will have given speeches to joint sessions of Congress more than any other world leader.
When Is The Address, And How Can I Watch It?
Netanyahu is scheduled to speak to lawmakers at 2 p.m. EDT, and it is being streamed on a number of news channels and sites, including C-SPAN, CBS News and Fox News.
Further Reading
Israel and Hamas. Previously, she has covered a range of topics from Donald Trump’s legal battles to Taylor Swift’s path to becoming a billionaire. She joined Forbes in April 2022 and is based in Colorado. Prior to joining Forbes, Bohannon covered local news and spent time at the Fort Collins Coloradoan and the Arizona Republic. She graduated with a degree in journalism from Creighton University and has an MA in investigative journalism from Arizona State. Follow Bohannon for continued coverage of pop culture, politics and updates on the war in Gaza.
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