Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Address to Congress on Wednesday as “completely immoral and cruel” and confirmed that she will not participate in so many Democrats boycott the speech.
The progressive was one of the most vocal members of Congress criticizing the Israeli government during the war between Israel and Hamas.
“It is absolutely immoral and cruel to the millions of people affected by it. [Netanyahu’s] disastrous measures to give him a platform, let alone give him the honor of speaking before Congress,” she wrote in a statement. “He is a war criminal who is actively committing genocide against the Palestinian people, risking the lives of hostages and the stability of the region. I fully agree with the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice that he should be held accountable for his crimes, not for speaking before Congress.”
A growing number of Democrats, including members who support Israel, have announced they will stay away from Netanyahu’s speech. Both Vice President Harris and the Republican vice presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio), will not participate.
Omar said Netanyahu’s government was responsible for “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern history,” referring to the lack of food, water and medical supplies in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 38,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict.
Representative Jerry Nadler (DN.Y.), the highest-ranking Jewish Democrat in the House of Representatives, denounced However, Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday that he would attend the speech.
“Benjamin Netanyahu is the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans to Jerusalem over 2,100 years ago,” he wrote in a statement. “The prime minister is risking Israel’s security, the lives of the hostages, the stability of the region and Israel’s long-standing democratic norms just to maintain the stability of his far-right coalition and absolve himself of his own legal problems.”
“Tomorrow’s speech is the next step in a long line of manipulative, malicious efforts by Republicans to further politicize U.S.-Israel relations for partisan purposes, and a cynical ploy by Netanyahu aimed at bolstering his own desperate political standing at home,” he continued. “There is no doubt in my mind that this should not be happening.”
Mass protests are expected There were riots in the Capitol building around the speech on Wednesday afternoon. Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) warned early Wednesday that there could be disruptions and arrests.
