Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the U.S. this week, where he is set to meet with top officials and descend on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to address a joint session of Congress.
The long-anticipated address has stirred controversy for months among congressional Democrats as some lawmakers in the party and some in the public have pushed back on the Israeli leader’s handling of the war in Gaza as the Palestinian civilian death toll has risen and the humanitarian crisis worsened.
On Tuesday, demonstrators held a mass protest in a congressional office building ahead of Netanyahu’s address. Some Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott Wednesday’s speech entirely, including the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who told reporters on Monday that Netanyau may be “shilling for [former president] Donald Trump.”
“I don’t think Benjamin Netanyahu has any interest in getting to peace in the Middle East, he certainly hasn’t had an interest in bringing home hostage families,” she said outside the capitol.
Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., is set to preside over the address on Wednesday as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Spectrum News confirmed.
As president of the Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris typically presides over such events, but will be on the road in Indianapolis to deliver remarks at an Zeta Phi Beta sorority event. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the president pro tempore of the Senate, will not be attending on Wednesday.
“Securing a lasting, mutual ceasefire is of the utmost importance right now, and I will continue to push for one to be reached as soon as possible,” a statement from Murray reads. “I hope Prime Minister Netanyahu will use the opportunity to address how he plans to secure a ceasefire—and lasting peace in the region.”
In the face of criticism from some Republicans about not attending, an aide to the vice president noted that the event she is attending in Indiana was previously scheduled and sought to stress that Harris is committed to Israel’s security.
Harris, who is likely to be the Democratic party’s 2024 nominee for president, will hold her own meeting with Netanyahu, separate from President Joe Biden’s sit down with the Israeli leader, at the White House this week, the aide to the vice president said. The aide added that in the meeting, the vice president is expected to again condemn Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left about 1,200 dead, express her concern about the death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza and echo Biden’s call for the war to end.
Biden, who has seen tensions flare at times with Netanyahu over the course of the war and amid criticism from some at home over his support of Israel, will sit down with the Israeli leader on Thursday. Per the White House, the two will sit down face-to-face before meeting with families of Americans taken hostage.
"The leaders will discuss developments in Gaza and progress towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal and the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, including countering Iran’s threats to Israel and the broader region," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "Following the leaders’ meeting, they will meet together with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas."
It comes as the Biden administration has been trying to lock in the cease-fire and hostage release plan outlined by the president in May.
Earlier this month, Biden said both Israel and Hamas have agreed to the framework of the multi-stage proposal but emphasized there is still more work to do.
Last week at the Aspen Security Forum, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they were inside the “10-yard line” when it came to negotiations on the proposal
“I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Blinken said.
Asked about a timeline for a potential deal on Monday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller would not give a date and noted there are no guarantees they will “ultimately be successful.”
“You heard the Secretary speak to this in Aspen on Friday, where he said that in his estimation we are inside the 10-yard line, but that of course doesn’t mean that we’ll ultimately be successful,” Miller told reporters at Monday’s State Department briefing. “But … if you look at how far we’ve come, we have significantly narrowed the disagreements between the parties and have a few remaining issues that need to be resolved.”
On Tuesday, a group of unions wrote a letter to Biden calling on him to stop sending military aid to Israel amid negotiations to secure a cease-fire deal.
Trump is also set to meet with the Israeli leader on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago report in Palm Beach, Fla., the former president said in a post on his social media site, Truth Social. He also used the post to criticize Harris who he is now expected to face off against in November.
Netanyahu’s trip to the U.S. also comes as Israel and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have been engaged in strikes that have sparked new concerns about another front in the conflict in the Middle East.
Spectrum News' Ryan Chatelain contributed to this report.