Democrats boycott Netanyahu but aid to Israel continues

Democrats this week staged a historic boycott of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress, with an unprecedented number of the party’s federal representatives opting to skip the speech.

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The symbolic display, however, does not indicate any meaningful shift in the party’s previously unwavering support for continued unconditional aid to Israel, even as the Palestinian death toll continues to rise, now approaching 40,000 due to acute shortages of daily necessities and medical supplies, putting the coastal enclave on the verge of famine and severe disease.

Almost all of Gaza’s population—1.9 million out of 2.3 million—has been forced into internal relocation as a result of Israeli shelling that has reduced most of the area to a spreading field of debris.

The exact death toll is expected to be significantly higher than the official toll announced by Gaza’s Health Ministry, since many missing Palestinians are thought dead beneath the debris. US-supplied weaponry have been frequently connected to assaults that killed a large number of people, including children.

Many of the Democrats who boycotted Netanyahu’s speech cited the humanitarian disaster caused by his war, including Representative Ami Bera, who stated, “It is imperative to agree to a cease-fire, release the hostages, and negotiate a future that promises peace and stability for Israelis and Palestinians.”

“Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas and must follow international law in their response,” he told X. “I support a humanitarian pause in order to prioritize rescuing hostages and getting food, water and aid to civilians.”

“@POTUS is correct that #Israel has the right to self-defense, and I applaud him for underlining the necessity to focus on #Hamas while minimizing civilian casualties. I mourn the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives and am concerned about the safety of hostages while a ground incursion continues,” Representative Steve Cohen stated on X in October.

Only 58 lawmakers voted against the supplemental, including 37 Democrats. According to Anadolu, at least 73 House Democrats skipped Netanyahu, as did 23 senators.

The large number of holdouts stands in sharp contrast to the dozens of standing ovations Netanyahu received from several of the parliamentarians in attendance Wednesday.

Many other Democrats, like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, attempted to characterize their choice to forgo the address as a reflection of worries about Netanyahu’s leadership, rather than an open condemnation of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber today was by far the poorest of any foreign dignitary who has been invited and honored to address the US Congress. “Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered as a result of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings,” she remarked following Netanyahu’s speech.

“These families are asking for a cease-fire deal that will bring the hostages home – and we hope the Prime Minister would spend his time achieving that goal,” she told reporters.

As Netanyahu spoke in the Capitol, hundreds of people gathered outside to condemn him and Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza. They demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and condemned the decision to bestow one of the most prestigious medals on Israel’s leader.