Thousands of protesters gathered around Capitol Hill on Wednesday to protest against Benjamin Netanyahu as he was scheduled to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
In the more than nine months that have elapsed since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel when the terrorist organization took some 250 hostages and also killed about 1,200 people, pro-Palestinian sympathy has grown and furor against Israel’s relentless war on Gaza has steadily mounted. Currently, Palestinian authorities report approximately 39,000 Palestinians dead—more than half women and children.
Jerry Nadler, a senior Democratic House member from New York, issued a blistering denunciation ahead of today’s event, of the Israeli prime minister, calling him “the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans into Jerusalem over 2100 years ago”.
In May, The International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants for Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the carnage that has esued in the wake of the October 7 attacks. The charges against Netanyahu included “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare”, “intentionally directing acts against a civilian population” and “other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity”.
The protests in Washington were marked by a diverse group of participants, including advocacy groups, labor unions, and individuals from various backgrounds, all converging to voice their concerns and call for change. The gathering was not just a local event but a reflection of the broader international discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In view of the extreme tensions, security was tight in Washington’s downtown area and streets were closed to traffic, while officers experienced in dealing with mass protests were drafted in from the New York police department. The Capitol building itself was ring-fenced off.
“Shut it down,” a large group of protesters chanted as they marched toward the Capitol after blocking a nearby intersection, adding “Bibi, Bibi, we’re not done!” Capitol police deployed pepper spray at protesters they claimed had crossed the police line. Tempers flared and scuffles and shouting matches broke out as police tried to quell the fury.
Some of the pro-Israeli protesters wore T-shirts bearing slogans like “Saving Israeli Democracy.”
Netanyahu’s speech – arranged weeks ago and instigated by the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson – comes at a singularly dramatic moment in US politics, days after the withdrawal of Joe Biden from the presidential race and less than two weeks after a failed assassination attempt on the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
In his speech, Netanyahu underscored the strong ties between the US and Israel in the face of common challenges. He emphasized the need for a united front against Iran and the International Criminal Court, which he views as threats to both nations’ security interests.
Unperturbed by the global criticism, he vowed to continue the military campaign in Gaza until “total victory” is achieved.
