Sharon Zhang
Truthout / July 24, 2024
“Make no mistake: this event is a celebration of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians,” Tlaib said.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) has said that it is “utterly disgraceful” that Congress has invited “war criminal” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the chamber as he continues committing genocide in Gaza.
In a fiery statement on Tuesday, Tlaib said that Netanyahu should be arrested and sent to the Hague to be tried for war crimes — far from being given the distinction of speaking to Congress, which he is slated to do Wednesday evening.
“Netanyahu is a war criminal committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is utterly disgraceful that leaders from both parties have invited him to address Congress. He should be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court,” said Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.
The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders perpetuating the genocide, but the U.S. has refused to recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction when it comes to Israel.
Tlaib said that, under Netanyahu, Israel has “undeniably” committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, massacring tens of thousands of Palestinians as the U.S. has provided billions in military support to continue the genocide.
“Make no mistake: this event is a celebration of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. It is a sad day for our democracy when my colleagues will smile for a photo op with a man who is actively committing genocide,” Tlaib went on. “Their silence is betrayal, and history will remember them accordingly.”
Tlaib has not stated if she is going to boycott or not attend Netanyahu’s speech, though dozens of her Democratic colleagues in the House and the Senate have said they are doing so, as well as over a hundred congressional staffers. The list includes both moderate Democrats who have generally been staunch supporters of Israel but seemingly have objections to Netanyahu specifically as well as progressives who oppose Zionist apartheid and Israel’s violent dispossession of Palestinians.
Significantly, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) is meeting with Israeli families of hostages instead of attending the speech. Harris, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee for president, is also skipping the address, citing a prior commitment. Both lawmakers are longtime allies of pro-Israel lobbyists like AIPAC.
Figures who have been more outspoken against the genocide have pledged to boycott.
“Throughout the many years of our country, leaders from dozens of countries with all kinds of political backgrounds and persuasions have been invited to address a joint session of Congress,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday. “To the best of my knowledge, however, tomorrow will be unique. In bringing Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress, it will be the first time in American history that a war criminal has been given that honor.”
House progressives like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), Cori Bush (D-Missouri), Ilhan Omar (O-Minnesota) and Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania) also spoke out against the speech.
“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,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “40k Palestinians are dead. Hostages aren’t home. Netanyahu is a war criminal. I will be boycotting his address.”
Sharon Zhang is a news writer at Truthout covering politics, climate and labor
