National mobilization: The people charge Benjamin Netanyahu with genocide!
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is coming to speak to the US Congress on July 24th on a bipartisan invitation from the leadership of both political parties in both chambers of Congress. This invitation is so deeply insulting to every thinking person in the US and the world. Netanyahu will pressure Congress for more money and more weapons to continue to defy international law and to support Israel's genocide. He may even convince Congress to send young Americans to die for Israel in a regional war with Iran. Members of Congress know exactly what he wants, and they want to give him even more American taxpayer money to blow up more hospitals and schools in Palestine.
The US Congress seems to be concerned that they haven't given enough to Israel. Congress has already committed over $20 billion to Israel in the last nine months and covers for its genocide at every single step. But that apparently isn't enough, so now Congress has decided to invite the architect of the genocide to make the highest lawmaking body in the USA his captive audience.
Perhaps the most scandalous part of this affair is that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may soon issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu – in which case the US Congress would be harbouring an internationally wanted criminal. Congress would be legally obligated to arrest Netanyahu except that the United States refuses to sign on to the Rome statute and to recognize the authority of the ICC. Netanyahu’s plan to fly directly to the United States is based on the fact that he knows that the US is the only state to which he can safely travel.
In light of this, SHAPE has joined dozens of organizations that have announced plans to unite at the US Congress and attempt a people’s arrest of Netanyahu in a massive protest at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 24th. The last time Netanyahu came to Washington, he received constant standing ovations from Congress, from both Democrats and Republicans. Now they want to ‘honour’ him again as he butchers Gaza and stands as the main impediment to a ceasefire. Congress wants to create the illusion that he's some respectable leader, though Netanyahu is anything but a respectable leader. He’s an international pariah who’s trying to overcome his global isolation by visiting the US Congress.
This protest will make it absolutely clear that the politicians who invited him are complicit in genocide and do not represent the views of Americans and the world.
https://www.answercoalition.org/arrest_netanyahu
Junaid S. Ahmad
Member of SHAPE Coordinating Committee