Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his upcoming address to Congress, calling him a “war criminal” and accusing him of disregarding U.S. law. Despite mounting political divisions over Israel’s military assault on Hamas in Gaza, leaders from both parties in the House and Senate invited Netanyahu to address Congress on July 24 to show solidarity with Israel. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were among those who signed the letter extending the invitation, but not all members of Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez, support the visit.
Ocasio-Cortez denounced Netanyahu’s invitation, stating that he should not be addressing Congress and referring to him as a war criminal who has no respect for U.S. law. The representative and other progressive Democrats, known as the “Squad,” expressed anger over their leaders agreeing to invite Netanyahu to speak. Concerns have been raised by a growing number of Democrats over Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict in Gaza following a terror attack by Hamas in 2023. The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor announced plans to seek arrest warrants against top Israeli and Hamas officials, including Netanyahu.
Some members of Congress are calling for Netanyahu to stop bombing Gaza indiscriminately and respect President Biden’s red line of not continuing military operations in Rafah. Democratic Representative Greg Casar from Texas stated that it is not a good time for Netanyahu to come to Congress and expressed a desire for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. The controversy surrounding Netanyahu’s visit to Congress has intensified as criticism of his actions in Gaza grows, and calls for his invitation to be revoked continue.
Ocasio-Cortez expressed doubt regarding the productivity of Netanyahu’s visit to Congress, stating that she does not approve of it and may not attend. She believes that the timing is not right for Netanyahu to address Congress, especially as efforts continue to negotiate a cease-fire. The strained relationship between President Biden and Netanyahu has also been highlighted in recent months, with Biden publicly criticizing Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict and calling for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza. Netanyahu’s visit to Capitol Hill comes amid these tensions between the U.S. and Israel, with some members of Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez, questioning the appropriateness of his address.
