As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage at the US Congress on Wednesday, Jewish Democratic De condemned the invitation, arguing that the US should not invite a “war criminal” to a joint session.
Netanyahu’s address marks his first appearance in Congress since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, 2023. His presence sparked protests outside the Capitol, with around 40 Democrats boycotting the speech.
In a video uploaded to his official YouTube channel on Wednesday, Sanders stated that Netanyahu’s appearance in Congress represents “the first time in American history that a war criminal has been given that honor.”
The Vermont Senator described the invitation as a “disgrace” and said that it would be a decision America would “look back on with regret.”
“With this invitation, it will be impossible with a straight face for the United States to lecture any country on earth about human rights and human dignity,” Sanders said during his address to Congress.
Sanders pointed out the ongoing case against Netanyahu at the International Criminal Court (ICC), noting that he has been “credibly accused of war crimes” and might soon face an arrest warrant.
“The ICC’s charges against Netanyahu are well-founded,” he continued. “They focus on the starvation of civilians as a method of war and intentional attacks against the civilian population.”
He explained that the ICC prosecutor alleges Netanyahu is responsible for “depriving civilians of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies, as provided for under the Geneva Conventions.”
The Senator reiterated, “With this invitation, it will be impossible with a straight face for the United States to lecture any country on earth about human rights and human dignity,” emphasizing the hypocrisy he perceives in the invitation.
Sanders further explained that while the US news cycle has shifted to cover the upcoming elections, it is “absolutely irresponsible” for the US to ignore one of the “worst humanitarian disasters in modern history.”
Sanders insisted that America is deeply implicated in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as it has been “aided and abetted” by American taxpayer dollars.
Recalling the mounting death toll in Gaza, Sanders detailed that since the start of the war, at least 39,000 Palestinians had been killed out of a population of 2.2 million, with 89,000 others injured.
After detailing the extensive damage caused to Palestinian civilians, Sanders posed a pointed question to Congress: “When you stand up and applaud that guy, remember the starving children that he has created.”