Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) has announced that she plans to boycott “war criminal” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday.
In a post by X, Ocasio-Cortez Explained Netanyahu was invited to address a joint session of Congress on what he called a “black day” in U.S. history. Netanyahu arrived in the U.S. on Monday evening ahead of his speech on Wednesday.
“It is a dark day in American history when a dictator served with a warrant by the International Criminal Court is allowed to address a joint session of Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “40,000 Palestinians are dead. The hostages are not coming home. Netanyahu is a war criminal. I will be boycotting his speech.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments about the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants came after the court’s prosecutor sought them in May against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and several Hamas leaders.
It is a dark day in American history that a dictator served with a warrant by the International Criminal Court was allowed to address a joint session of Congress.
40,000 Palestinians died.
The hostages are not in the house.
Netanyahu is a war criminal.
I will boycott his speech.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 23, 2024
In June, Prime Minister Netanyahu was invited to speak before members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in a letter signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York).
Since Prime Minister Netanyahu was invited to speak, several lawmakers have said they would not attend the speech, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who previously said he would not attend a speech by “war criminal” Netanyahu.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate President pro tempore Patty Murray (D-WA) also reportedly refused to host Netanyahu’s speech.
Netanyahu’s speech came as Israel faces criticism over its ongoing military campaign in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Hamas terrorists invaded Israel by land, sea and air, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. In response to the Hamas attacks, Israel declared a “total siege” of the Gaza Strip and launched a military offensive to destroy Hamas.
On Tuesday, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered in the rotunda of the Cannon House office building to protest Netanyahu’s speech.
