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SvennoJ on 23 July 2024
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Pro-Israel US congressman calls Netanyahu ‘worst leader in Jewish history’

Jerry Nadler, a high-ranking Democrat who has described himself as the “most senior Jewish member of the House of Representatives”, did not mince words in condemning Netanyahu ahead of his planned speech tomorrow.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans into Jerusalem over 2100 years ago,” Nadler said in a post on X.

“Tomorrow’s address is the next step in a long line of manipulative bad-faith efforts by Republicans to further politicise the US-Israel relationship for partisan gain and is a cynical stunt by Netanyahu aimed at aiding his own desperate political standing at home,” said Nadler, a self-proclaimed Zionist.

He said he respects the cadre of lawmakers who have said they will boycott the event, but added he would not join them. He would attend, he said, out of “respect for the state of Israel and the office of the prime minister”.

‘Standing up for human rights is not just a talking point,’ lawmaker says

A growing number of US Democrats have said they will not attend Netanyahu’s speech tomorrow.

Those include Senator Bernie Sanders, the chamber’s second-highest-ranking Democrat Senator Patty Murray, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative James Clyburn.

In a statement today, Representative Rashida Tlaib called the speech “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,” she said.

Representative Cori Bush, meanwhile, said in a post on X that “standing up for human rights is not just a talking point”.



Bernie Sanders says he will not attend speech of ‘war criminal’ Netanyahu

US Senator Bernie Sanders has issued a statement detailing why he will not attend Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday.

“I agree with both the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations independent commission that both Benjamin Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar are war criminals,” said Sanders, referring to the Israeli and Hamas leaders.

Sanders also said he believed Netanyahu’s “right-wing, extremist government should not receive another nickel of US taxpayer support to continue the inhumane destruction of Gaza”.



Protesters march in Tel Aviv demanding release of captives

As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu continues his trip to the US capital, demonstrators in Israel are seeking to put extra pressure on him to reach a deal with Hamas that will put a ceasefire in place in Gaza and achieve the release of captives held by the Palestinian group.

Photos and videos posted on social media show a large crowd marching through the streets of Tel Aviv this evening.

Last night, a group of protesters met Netanyahu at Ben Gurion airport as he left Israel for the US. Several demonstrators were arrested.

 

Hundreds of Jewish activists arrested during Gaza war protest in US Congress building

US Capitol Police arrested Jewish activists protesting against US military support for Israel inside a congressional building on Tuesday, a day before Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a speech to Congress.

Sonya Meyerson-Knox, the communications director of the Jewish Voice for Peace, spoke to Al Jazeera from Washington, DC: