Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit sparked a new wave of protests in Washington, the capital of United States. The United States Post reported that the day before Netanyahu's July 24 speech to the United States Congress, hundreds of demonstrators opposed to the military operation in Gaza staged a sit-in in Congress, and about 200 people were taken away by police with white cable ties.
At about 3 p.m. local time on July 23, hundreds of protesters from the "Jewish Voice for Peace" group, wearing red shirts with the words "Jews Say Stop Arming Israel", sat on the floor of the rotunda of the Cannon office building of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, chanting "Let Gaza Live" and "Stop Genocide."
On July 23, 2024 local time, before Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech in the United States Congress, hundreds of demonstrators staged a sit-in protest on the Capitol Hill in United States, and many were arrested by the police. Surging images
"Free Palestine", "Let Gaza Live", hundreds of people were arrested for a sit-in in the Capitol building
Jewish Voices for Peace is an anti-Zionist group in United States that has brought up rabbis, students, Israel United States, and descendants of Holocaust survivors. On a banner, they wrote "Fix the world" in Hebrew. Several protesters also wore handmade shawls with flowers on the national symbol of Palestine. Through protests, the group expressed their "shock and dismay" at United States officials meeting with Netanyahu.
Twenty minutes after the protests began, the United States Capitol Police began issuing warnings asking protesters to stop the demonstrations. Some protesters left, but most chose to stay. After another 10 minutes of applause, chanting and chanting from the protesters, police began to remove the protesters from the rotunda with white cable ties.
Protesters chanted "Free Palestine" and "Let Gaza live" as they were taken away. At around 4:30 p.m. that day, the police had dispersed all the protesters. The police posted on platform X that demonstrations were not allowed at the Capitol building, and that they had warned those "who entered legally" that if they did not stop, they would be arrested.
As of 8 p.m. on July 23, the police department did not announce the number of arrests. But Jewish Voices for Peace said 400 people had been arrested.
The Associated Press reported that Netanyahu's trip to the United States sparked a wave of protests. On July 22, Netanyahu arrived in Washington, United States, for a visit, and dozens of protesters rallied outside his hotel that night. Following the Capitol protests, on the evening of July 23, some of the hostage's families staged a protest on the National Mall in Washington, demanding that Netanyahu reach an agreement with Hamas to bring home some 120 Israel hostages who remained in Gaza. Several United States media outlets predicted that when Netanyahu addressed Congress, he would be greeted by more protests.
"How can he call for a ceasefire when (Biden) sends them bombs and planes?"
The protesters are demanding a ceasefire, and they are focusing their anger on the United States government, demanding that Biden immediately stop arms shipments to Israel. Jane · Hirschmann, from New York, told United States Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), "How can [Biden] call for a ceasefire when he sends them bombs and planes?" "We don't want anyone to experience another massacre". Hirschman, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, drove to Washington with her two daughters, both of whom were taken away by police.
"Our demand for a ceasefire is fundamentally rooted in the belief that all life is precious. Therefore, our call for a ceasefire is also a call for the security of hostages and the cessation of hostilities. Benjamin · Kirsten, a protester who participated in the congressional protest, told the Washington Post that Jewish security is not the same as arming Israel, and that he views Netanyahu as a "war criminal."
Linda Holtzman, a rabbi rabbi ·United States Philadelphia, told the Washington Post that "mass murder" was taking place in Gaza, and that a ceasefire and an immediate end to United States military aid to Israel were urgent. She wanted to see a future that Palestinians and Israelis could decide together, "We can't sit idly by and watch people being killed and not stand up." It feels like an anti-Semitic thing to me."
At the protests on the National Mall in Washington, about 150 family members of the hostages, wearing yellow shirts with the words "Deal Now," chanted "Bring them home," accusing Netanyahu of being tough and dragging out on the ceasefire.
"I beg Bibi. There's a deal at the negotiating table, and you have to accept it. "63-year-old [Aviva Siegel] has been in captivity for 51 days and her husband has not been rescued.
On July 22, 2024 local time, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara prepared to leave for United States. IC Photo
Republicans warmly welcome Netanyahu, while Democrats are alienating him
With the rising anti-war sentiment in the United States, the Biden administration feels the pressure of public opinion from the outside world and within the party. Democratic support for Netanyahu in United States is waning, and according to the Washington Post, dozens of Democrats plan to skip Netanyahu's July 24 speech, and even Democrats who plan to attend do not hide their disgust with Netanyahu.
United States Democratic Senator Chris ·Van Holen, who had just returned from a trip to the Middle East on July 20 and planned not to attend the speech, "I refuse to be a tool of political deception and recognize Netanyahu as the great guardian of the US-Israel relationship," which he believes is being undermined.
On the other hand, Netanyahu was warmly welcomed by the Republicans. At the invitation of Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives of United States Congress, Mike · Johnson, Netanyahu was able to address Congress.
The attitude of the two parties to "host" Netanyahu may also influence the current United States election to some extent. The New York Times of United States said Biden's support among Democratic voters had declined due to his rejection of calls to suspend arms supplies to Israel. Democrats hope Harris can go a long way in reversing that trend and win back those liberals who refuse to vote for Democrats because of Biden's Israel policies.
It is important to note that despite Harris's sympathy for the children and victims of Gaza, her recent behavior suggests that she may not be breaking the status quo. Joel ·Rubin, a national security expert, told The New York Times that the left could be angry at Harris for meeting with Netanyahu, and the right might be angry at her for not sitting behind him, and that Harris was trying to act as a United States leader balancing her responsibilities.
Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet on July 25, and Vice President Kamala · Harris will also meet separately on the same day, the Associated Press quoted an unnamed United States official. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump also said on July 23 that he would meet with Netanya on July 26.
Editor: Xiang Yanhong