Republican lawmakers have called it “shameful” that Vice President Kamala Harris skipped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, choosing instead to speak at a women’s conference.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday as Israel’s 292-day war with the terrorist organization Hamas continues. Harris, who is the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden withdraws from the 2024 presidential race, has declined to host the speech and will instead speak at Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s Grand Boulevard in Indianapolis, Indiana.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, called Governor Harris’ decision “inexcusable.”
“She can’t attend because she refuses to attend,” Johnson said at a Republican press conference on Tuesday. “She has to take responsibility for that.”
Israeli PM Netanyahu to address parliament in celebrity absence
“Kamala Harris has reportedly refused to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress tomorrow. It’s disgraceful. She continues to display anti-Semitism and contempt for Jewish people,” Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said in a former Twitter post on X.
“Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s joint speech. It is shameful that she would turn her back on one of our most important allies,” said Rep. Jim Baird (R-Indiana).
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik said Ms Harris skipped the speech to “appease the radical anti-Semitic base in the Democratic Party”.
Families of US citizens held by Hamas look forward to Netanyahu’s parliamentary speech
“Kamala Harris is the President of the Senate. Her conduct and actions matter at home and abroad. Her decision not to attend tomorrow’s speech is petty political stunt and a shameful treatment of America’s strongest ally,” Rep. Anthony D’Esposito of New York said on X.
According to reports, neither Biden nor the vice president were on hand to greet Netanyahu when he arrived on Monday. Notably, Biden was in Delaware, where he was still recovering from COVID-19.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas on June 28, 2024. (Bizayev Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“Kamala Harris’ refusal to greet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the airport is reprehensible,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) said in a statement. “Harris’ plan to boycott the joint address to Congress is shameful. It is clear that Harris is siding with the woke anti-Semites in her party. Texas will always stand with Israel.”
“Senator Kamala Harris did not greet PM Netanyahu upon his arrival yesterday. She will not attend the joint address to Congress. Other Democratic Senators will also be absent. Republicans support Israel. The Left does not,” Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio posted on X.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Ms Harris’ absence was “a capitulation to far-left anti-Semitism.”
“It has been 291 days since Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists brutally attacked Israel and took numerous hostages, including American citizens,” Scott said. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris once again turned their backs on our friend and ally, Israel, when they refused to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu upon his arrival yesterday. Ms Harris then doubled down on her contempt for our ally by refusing to chair Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.”
Security fencing was erected around the U.S. Capitol building on Tuesday morning, ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech the day after. (Getty Images)
Of the 120 hostages being held by Hamas, eight are American citizens.
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A senior aide to the vice president told Fox News Digital that Harris will not attend the speech but will meet with Netanyahu at the White House during her visit to Washington, DC.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
