Axios: Netanyahu will face a widespread boycott in Congress
According to Axios, website, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may face a widespread boycott by US progressive lawmakers if he accepts an invitation to speak before the US Congress.
Axios website quoted Democratic Representatives Chuy Garcia, Maxwell Frost, and Jamal Bowman that they won’t attend Netanyahu’s speech in Congress.
Frost justified his position by saying that Netanyahu is a “bad person,” while Democratic Representative Annie Koster said that people are disappointed in the way Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip is being conducted.
Bowman said in a statement to Axios that nothing Netanyahu will say can help his constituency at all, explaining that his voters are angry about the war that Israel is waging in the Gaza Strip.
Axios also quoted Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib as saying that Netanyahu shouldn’t come to Congress, but should be sent to The Hague, in reference to the International Court of Justice.
Last Wednesday, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected Netanyahu’s request to speak before the Democratic bloc in the Senate.
Schumer also told reporters, “I care very much about Israel and its long-term future… Making the issue partisan hurts the cause of helping Israel”.
Progressives asked Democratic President Joe Biden to put greater pressure on Israel to alleviate the burden of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Netanyahu spoke to Republicans via video link nearly a week after Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a speech in the Senate in which he strongly criticized Netanyahu, calling him an obstacle to peace, and urging new elections in Israel.
The Israeli Prime Minister said that he will continue the war on the Gaza Strip, stressing that the entry of the Israeli army into the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas will take place, but it will take time.
Netanyahu added that it’s no secret that there are differences with President Biden’s administration in this regard, stressing that Israel will do what suits its security despite these differences.
