After months of questioning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced she will not be attending his speech to Congress next month.
On Wednesday, Warren explained her opposition to the Israeli leader in comments to the Hill.
“Benjamin Netanyahu has created a humanitarian disaster,” the Massachusetts senator said. “We need a ceasefire, massive humanitarian relief, the return of the hostages, and we’ve gotta have a breakthrough on getting the parties to the negotiating table. Giving more arms to Israel is not pushing in the right direction.”
Warren’s decision comes after a series of remarks she has made criticizing Israel’s offensive against Hamas. In April, she told an audience at the Boston Islamic Center she believes there is “ample evidence” that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza.
Her criticisms of Netanyahu have mirrored those of other Democrats, including progressive leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and even Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), although the senator has taken a more reserved approach in recent months.
Netanyahu has come under fire after a report emerged that for more than a year leading up to the deadly Oct. 7 attack, the Israeli government ignored warnings Hamas was planning an elaborate assault on Jewish civilians. The “Jericho Wall” report allegedly outlined in detail the blueprint for the attack. In a social media post on Sunday, Netanyahu’s son defended the prime minister, saying his father was “not updated on the material discovered in the Jericho Wall report.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has also announced he would boycott the speech, summarized the basis for progressives’ opposition to Netanyahu in a recent post to X. The Vermont senator said Netanyahu’s “right-wing, extremist government has killed 37,000 Palestinians.” The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry tracks the deaths and does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths.
His concerns have been echoed by a number of top Democrats, including Schumer. While Schumer joined top congressional leaders in issuing the invitation to the Israeli leader to address Congress, the Senate leader criticized Netanyahu in March for being “too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows.”
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Warren’s decision to boycott Netanayu’s July 24 address to a joint meeting of Congress follows multiple progressive Democrats vowing the same, including Reps. Greg Casar (D-TX), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY).
The Washington Examiner reached out to Warren’s office for comment.
