Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) proudly brandished an indication calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” as he addressed Congress on Wednesday.
The other facet of her signal learn: “Guilty of Genocide.”
In his speech, Netanyahu lauded Israel’s warfare on Gaza, thanked each Biden and Trump for his or her help of Israel, condemned the assassination try on Trump and slammed pro-Palestine protesters.
Tlaib is the one Palestinian American in Congress. Along with her protest, Tlaib put out a strongly worded assertion on Tuesday forward of Netanyahu’s speech, additionally calling him a “war criminal.”
“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,” Tlaib mentioned within the assertion.
“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,” she continued. “It is hypocritical to claim to be concerned about the massive death toll of innocent civilians, and then turn around and welcome the person responsible for these war crimes to our Capitol. Their silence is betrayal, and history will remember them accordingly. Our government must stop supporting and funding this genocide now.”
Anna Moneymaker by way of Getty Photos
Regardless of receiving a standing ovation from attendees, Netanyahu’s speech and go to had been met with widespread disapproval outdoors of the Capitol.
Over 100 congressional interns and dozens of Democratic lawmakers, together with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), reportedly skipped Netanyahu’s speech in protest.
“Just so we’re clear, Netanyahu has lost so many people that he is addressing just a fraction of Congress,” the New York congresswoman wrote on X, previously Twitter, on Wednesday. “When this happens, they fill the seats with non-members, like what they do at award ceremonies, in order to project the appearance of full attendance and support.”
Furthermore, hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters in Washington, D.C., demonstrated towards Netanyahu’s go to and the warfare. U.S. Capitol Police used pepper spray towards the demonstrators and arrested no less than six.
Since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, Israeli forces have killed no less than 39,000 Palestinians. As opponents of the warfare have accused Israel of committing genocide within the area, the Worldwide Court docket of Justice delivered a ruling that it’s believable the nation is partaking in genocide. Additional, an unbiased report that was offered to the United Nations’ Human Rights Council final month argued that Israeli forces had been helming an “extermination” towards the folks of Gaza.
These within the area are additionally reportedly experiencing famine, United Nations consultants claimed earlier this month.
