Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 28.07.2024
While the republican senators of the congress loved the Netanyahu show, and reporters from the right were very impressed by the multiple standing ovations despite a likely arrest warrant for war crimes at the International Criminal Court. As he performed his show, children in Gaza were starving to death, gripped by a famine caused by the Zionist monster’s ongoing blockade of food, water, and medical supplies. Close to 40,000 people were killed in Gaza by the Zionists. 16,000 of them children, and it is possible that many more were killed and their bodies have not been found yet.
Like always, he spreads lies and more lies. He claimed in his speech that the pro-Palestinian movement is funded by the Iranian government, labeling protesters “Iran’s useful idiots” without offering any evidence to substantiate his claim. The allegation of Iranian funding drew a standing ovation from many members of Congress who attended the speech but also “boos.”
“The speech was an “attempt to delegitimize a social movement that has a lot of power, that has a lot of clarity,” said Benjamin Kersten, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, who participated in the rally outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, as well as the sit-in a day earlier in the Capitol rotunda. “It is also a distraction from what should be in focus, which is that over 39,000 people, over 14,000 children, have been killed by the Israeli government and military, making great use of United States’ weapons and funding.”
The significant pro-Palestinian movement demands an embargo on weapons to Israel that are used for the genocide.
Since October 7, the U.S. has sent more than $12 billion in military aid to Israel, contributing more than $141 billion in weapons to the Israeli government since the Zionist state formation in 1948—money from the taxes Americans pay, which could be used for education and health.
In his speech, he invoked former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s World War II appeal to the United States: “Give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job.” He also said that sending more weapons would “help keep American boots off the ground.” In other words, he admits that Israel is the front line of US imperialism in the region. Not only this but once again, he compared the victim of the genocide by the Zionist monster to Nazi Germany and himself to Churchill. Many Democratic senators oppose his invitation to speak before the congress. More than 50 Democratic lawmakers boycotted the address in protest. Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker, said the invitation was a mistake; Sen. Bernie Sanders said Israel “has trampled on international law, on American law, and basic human values” in its war on Gaza. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian in Congress, wearing a keffiyeh around her neck, held a sign that read “War criminal.”. However, we do not support the Republican party or the Democrats. Both are the parties of American imperialism with a long history of helping the Zionist’s crimes against the Palestinians.
In the House chambers was Noa Argamani, used by Netanyahu for his political agenda, who was among four Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and were freed during a Zionist operation at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza in early June. During the raid, more than 200 Palestinians were killed, including children as well as some of the hostages.
Some families of hostages expressed distaste for Netanyahu’s speech and were critical of his plan to prolong the war on Gaza, which they say risks the lives of the hostages. At least six of them were detained by Capitol Police for holding signs during standing ovations that read “SEAL THE DEAL NOW. Other family members of hostages gathered at a rally in downtown Washington, arguing that their relatives are paying the price for his war.
In Congress, Netanyahu openly dismissed the ICC’s case against him, defending his government’s record of delivering aid to Gaza and avoiding civilian deaths. Israel has threatened Karim Ahmad Khan, the current prosecutor of the ICC, and the one before him, Fatou Bensouda.
Calling on the US to pressure the ICC and prevent the court from issuing arrest warrants against him and his minister of war Gallant, Netanyahu said,: “The ICC is trying to shackle Israel’s hands and prevent us from defending ourselves; if Israel’s hands are tied, America’s next.”
Last Friday, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal, rife with war crime violations, and amounts to apartheid. A separate case is considering whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. While we do not support the ICJ because it is an imperialist institution, we welcome the ruling as useful in the fight against the Zionist Monster and the states that support this monster.
Britain, under the new labor government, has already said it will respect arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. However, this remains to be seen.
“As American taxpayers, we understand that Netanyahu is not the cause — this is not Netanyahu’s war — but that he really is the symptom of the larger problem of Israeli occupation, and apartheid, and now genocide” being carried out with American weapons and the support of the American government, said Kersten, the JVP organizer.
Kersten believes that U.S. lawmakers are wrong to isolate blame to Netanyahu: “What that allows is criticism of Netanyahu and no change in policy, or change in behavior.” [iii]
Down with the Zionist Monster!
For Palestine, red and free from the river to the sea!
Endnotes:
[1] https://theintercept.com/2024/07/24/netanyahu-congress-speech/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid