A protester wore a "Seal the Deal Now!" shirt in the congressional gallery Wednesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to deliver a speech before the joint session.
Netanyahu spoke in the afternoon before most members of Congress from both parties, his first address before the body since the October 7 Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel. In his remarks, the prime minister ripped into pro-Palestinian protesters, condemning them as pro-Iranian proxies perpetuating antisemitism. He specifically called out pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, as well as demonstrations that happened outside the Capitol in response to his visit.
"You have officially become Iran's useful idiots,” he said about the protesters.
His remarks drew applause from many in Congress, but silence as well from some Democrats who declined to stand and cheer. One of those Democrats was Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat who has arguably been the fiercest anti-Netanyahu member of Congress. She sat during the speech and at times held up protest signs directed at Netanyahu: “War criminal” and “guilty of genocide.”
Netanyahu’s speech comes as many people are voicing dissatisfaction with him and Israel's offensive tactics, which have left more than 39,000 Palestinians dead and thrust Gaza into a humanitarian crisis. He has come under scrutiny in Israel and abroad from those seeking a ceasefire deal to end the war and secure the release of hostages.
In an apparent bid to express their dissatisfaction, at least 50 Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, skipped the address.
