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CALLS TO BOYCOTT NETANYAHU SPEECH GROW AS ISRAELI PM HEADS TO DC  
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Brett Wilkins
July 22, 2024
Common Dreams
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_ A new coalition of advocacy groups—some of them Jewish-led—are
urging lawmakers to "amplify the voices of those in Israel, Palestine,
and around the world who reject Netanyahu's failed leadership." _

Members of the peace group CodePink hold a demonstration calling for
the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington,
D.C. on July 22, 2024., (Photo: CodePink/X)

 

Pressure is mounting on U.S. lawmakers to skip Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled address to Congress later this week, as
a newly formed coalition of civil society groups announced a protest
against the far-right leader—whose policies and actions in Gaza
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the World Court.

As Netanyahu "brings to Congress his message of extending and
expanding the devastating war in Gaza, neglecting the safety of
Israeli hostages, and ensuring impunity for the actions of his
government, an alternative message must be heard," the new coalition
said in a statement Monday. "To amplify a message of safety, freedom,
just peace, collective liberation, and human rights for ALL
Palestinians and Israelis, nine diverse groups have come together to
form the Peace and Justice Protest Bloc."

The groups—American Friends of Combatants for Peace (AFCFP), Win
Without War, T'ruah, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, Israelis for Peace,
Halachic Left, and three local chapters of Supporters of Standing
Together—"will come together in Washington this week to urge members
of Congress to skip Netanyahu's speech, sponsor community events with
peace activists from the region, and amplify the voices of those
in Israel [[link removed]], Palestine
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reject Netanyahu's failed leadership."

"The bloc, made up of hundreds of Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs, Jews,
and allies, will unite to demonstrate that collective struggle and
liberation are possible, and there is a growing movement that embodies
it," the coalition added. "We must act now to ensure that the voices
for a just peace are louder than those of division and bloodshed."

A larger protest by a coalition of groups including Palestinian Youth
Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, CodePink, ANSWER
Coalition, the People's Forum, International Peoples' Assembly,
Al-Awda-N.Y., and the Palestinian American Community Center-N.J. is
also planned for Wednesday, when Netanyahu is set to speak. Organizers
are planning to surround the U.S. Capitol.

"A visit by Netanyahu to Congress and the U.S. confirms something we
already knew: The United States of America financially and morally
supports the slaughter of Palestinians happening in Gaza," said
[[link removed]] CodePink Palestine
campaign coordinator Nour Jaghama, who was arrested
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Republican National Convention last week after being falsely accused
of assaulting a Republican lawmaker. "They are no better than
Netanyahu and every single Israeli official who orders the dropping of
bombs on sieges on hospitals."

Groups including the Council on American Islamic Relations
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urging members of Congress to boycott Netanyahu's speech, which is set
for Wednesday. Numerous congressional Democrats have already said
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will not attend the address, as has Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie
Sanders [[link removed]] of Vermont,
who on Monday reaffirmed
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he'll skip the speech.

"Netanyahu and his right-wing, extremist government have waged total
war against the Palestinian people, killing at least 39,000
Palestinians and injuring 89,000—60% of whom are women, children, or
elderly people," Sanders said. "Netanyahu should not be welcomed into
the United States Congress."

"On the contrary, his policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his
refusal to support a two-state solution should be roundly condemned,"
the senator added. "In my view, his right-wing, extremist government
should not receive another nickel of U.S. taxpayer support to continue
the inhumane destruction of Gaza."

_Axios_ Capitol Hill reporter Juliegrace Brufke said
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Vice President Kamala Harris—whom many Democrats have endorsed for
president since U.S. President Joe Biden's Sunday withdrawal from the
2024 race—has "declined" to preside over Netanyahu's speech, as is
her prerogative as Senate president. So has Senate President Pro
Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.), leaving uncertainty as to who will
preside over the session.

Like Biden, Harris has been an ardent supporter
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Israel during her tenure in the U.S. Senate and White House. She
is facing fresh calls
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stance" against any more weapons sales for Israel.

In 2015—the last time Netanyahu addressed Congress—nearly 60
lawmakers including Sanders boycotted
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speech.

Some progressive groups and individuals have called for more than just
a boycott of Netanyahu.

The Center for Constitutional Rights on Friday asked
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Justice Department to investigate Netanyahu and other Israeli
officials for allegedly committing or authorizing genocide, war
crimes, and torture. The group led a federal genocide complicity
lawsuit against Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin that was dismissed
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Last month, former Democratic Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner
[[link removed]]argued
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Netanyahu "should be arrested on the spot" for "overseeing a
genocide."

Meanwhile, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned
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of a Republican National Convention event last week that he would
order the arrest of any lawmakers who get "out of hand" during
Netanyahu's speech.

_Brett Wilkins is a staff writer for Common Dreams._

* Netanyahu's Speech
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* Boycott
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* US Congress
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