July 24, 2024, was another day that will go down in history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was enthusiastically welcomed at the United States Capitol to address Congress for the fourth time.
But this time, things were different.
On the streets of America, a large number of protestors swarmed in, carrying Palestinian flags, asserting their disapproval of the US state for hosting a man who has been deemed a war criminal by anti-genocide advocates worldwide.
Some protestors also reportedly released maggots and mealworms at the Watergate Hotel where PM Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and the Secret Service were to stay.
Back in May this year, Prosecutor Karim Khan at the International Criminal Court (ICC) called for arrest warrants for the Israeli PM and his associates for committing “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
As of yet, at least 39,145 people have been killed and 90,257 injured in Gaza since October 7 — the day when Israel began its deadly operations in the besieged strip, using Hamas’ attacks as justification for the bloodshed witnessed worldwide.
Are all Congress members supportive of Netanyahu?
More than 50 members reportedly boycotted or skipped the address, close to the 58 members who chose to abstain from attending Netanyahu’s 2015 speech.
Among the members are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Punjabi-Hindu descendant Rep. Ro Khanna.
Pelosi criticised PM Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber as “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.”
However, Rashida Tlaib, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan, attended the Israeli PM’s speech for all the right reasons.
Among the audience who gave Netanyahu a standing ovation on every claim, Tlaib stood out as the only hero in the room, wearing her Palestinian flag pin and a keffiyeh, holding a sign that read “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other.
Who is Rashida Tlaib?
Tlaib was born in the US to Palestinian parents — both of whom came from Palestine “for a better life,” she said in a post on social media.
She is the eldest daughter of 14 kids who earned her bachelor’s in political science and Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2004. Rashida Tlaib then entered the Michigan state bar in 2007.
In 2022, she was re-elected to the U.S. Congress as one of the first two Muslim women (along with Ilhan Omar) and the first Palestinian woman.
“I will never back down in speaking truth to power”, she posted on X following PM Netanyahu’s speech.
“The apartheid government of Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. Palestinians will not be erased. Solidarity with all those outside of these walls in the streets protesting and exercising their right to dissent.”
What did PM Netanyahu say?
- “Like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.”
- “For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens. We win. They lose.
And my friends, I came to assure you today of one thing: we will win.”
- ‘I thank President Biden for his heartful support for Israel after the savage attack on October 7th. He rightly called Hamas “sheer evil.”’ President Biden and I have known each other for over forty years. I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel and for being, as he says, a proud Zionist. Actually, he says, a proud Irish American Zionist.
- “…the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Druze, Christian and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery.”
- “As the Bible says, “עם כלביא יקום” —they shall rise like lions. They’ve risen like lions, the lions of Judah, the lions of Israel.”
- “These protesters chant “From the river to the sea.” But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about.”
- “For nearly four thousand years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.”
- “Now, just as malicious lies were levelled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being levelled at the Jewish state.”
- “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication.”
- “The vast majority of Americans have not fallen for this Hamas propaganda. They continue to support Israel, and I want to say: Thank you America, and thank you, senators and house members who continue to support us, continue to support Israel, continue to support the truth and see through the lies.”
- “If you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”
- “The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords. Those Accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries, and they were supported by Republican and Democrats alike.
I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it: The Abraham Alliance.”
