Sanders says he will boycott Netanyahu’s speech

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Wednesday that he would not attend any of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speeches to Congress, adding to growing resistance from Democrats against House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) effort. .) to send an invitation.

Johnson said Wednesday he expects Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) to approve Netanyahu’s visit on Thursday, after days of back and forth over whether the controversial Israeli leader should be allowed to address a joint session of Congress. amid harsh criticism of the country’s strategy in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Look, we have a prime minister who created the worst humanitarian disaster in modern history,” Sanders told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview. “Israel, of course, had the right to defend itself against the Hamas terrorist attack, but what Netanyahu did was go to war – total war – against the entire Palestinian people, women and children.”

“Five percent of the population is now dead or injured. 60 percent of them are women and children. Around 200,000 housing units were completely destroyed,” he continued. “All universities in Gaza were bombed. Now there is imminent famine happening.”

“So why you would invite someone who has done such horrible things to the Palestinian people is something I think is a terrible idea,” he added.

Democrats have tried to strike a difficult balance between supporting an ally in Israel and reacting to Netanyahu’s government. The Biden administration has consistently pressured Israel to slow its military advance into Gaza, citing mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Schumer said he is open to extending an invitation to Netanyahu, after Johnson said on Tuesday he would send the invitation with or without his support. Sanders’ comments add to a group of Democrats who have already said they would skip the speech.

“I boycotted your last visit. I certainly won’t be attending this one,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a Jewish Democrat who characterized Netanyahu as “a threat.”

“It’s not going to help us move forward – it’s a detriment,” she continued. “If he comes for any reason, in any location, I won’t be there.”

The backlash comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed a request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister for war crimes. The court accused Israeli leaders of directly targeting civilians and using starvation as a weapon of war.

The Israeli government and the Biden administration sharply criticized the ICC’s recommendation. A House bill to sanction the international court is expected to be voted on in the coming weeks.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said the ICC move ruined the prime minister’s credibility.

“I don’t expect much from Netanyahu anymore,” he said. “I barely consider him a world leader. I consider him a war criminal at this point.”

Reps. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Maxwell Frost (D-Florida) and the Congressional Black Caucus also raised concerns about the visit, objecting to Johnson’s decision earlier this year not to extend the same honor to the president of Kenya.

Schumer’s pledged support for Netanyahu’s invitation comes just weeks after he said Israel should hold new elections. The New York Democrat, the highest-ranking Jewish official in US history, said the Israeli leader “got lost” in scathing comments on the Senate floor.

Sanders said Wednesday that he “strongly” disagreed with Schumer’s promises to sign the invitation.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story