Progressive House Democrats plan counter-programming to Netanyahu visit

By Annie Grayer, CNN

Washington (CNN) — A number of Democratic lawmakers are planning to participate in a series of counter-programming events on Wednesday instead of attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, the latest example of how Democrats remain divided over Israel’s handling of its war with Hamas.

At the same time Netanyahu is expected to address Congress, a variety of progressive nonprofit groups are hosting an event in the Capitol that multiple Democratic lawmakers are expected to attend, according to an invitation shared with CNN.

The event, “Peace is Possible: An Alternative Vision for Israel and Palestine,” will feature Israeli and Palestinian peace leaders and is hosted by groups like the Center for American Progress and Middle East Democracy Center.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, is expected to deliver opening remarks at the event, according to an advisory shared with CNN.

Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Greg Casar of Texas will host a Zoom news conference with a coalition of progressives to try and pressure the Biden administration and Congress to adopt an arms embargo against Israel as activists argue that supplying weapons to Israel creates human rights violations.

Separately, senior House Democrats including Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Jamie Raskin of Maryland will meet with the families of Israeli hostages who were kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas terror attack.

Approximately 80 House Democrats and at least six Democratic senators are expected to skip Netanyahu’s speech on Wednesday, according to sources and public statements reviewed by CNN. House Democratic leadership has given their members room to make their own decisions about whether to attend the speech.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee, will not preside in her constitutional role as president of the Senate during Netanyahu’s address; Harris will be in Indianapolis Wednesday, and she is expected to meet separately with Netanyahu later this week. Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, also declined to preside over the speech, leaving Senate Foreign Relations Chair Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland, to preside, a source familiar told CNN.

Ahead of Netanyahu’s address, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent a letter to lawmakers obtained by CNN informing lawmakers that there will be “an increased police presence around the Capitol complex and in the House Chamber” and emphasized that there will be a “zero-tolerance policy for disturbances in the building.”

In a scathing statement, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the only Palestinian American member of Congress, called Netanyahu “a war criminal committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” Tlaib’s statement did not say whether she would attend the speech.

“It is utterly disgraceful that leaders from both parties have invited him to address Congress. He should be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court,” Tlaib added.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, another one of the lawmakers to skip Netanyahu’s speech, told CNN, “I just don’t think we should be listening to a one-way lecture from Netanyahu when he’s had a failed strategy on the board.”

Even some Jewish lawmakers like Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs of California are not planning on attending.

“I’m not attending the Netanyahu address because I don’t want to condone his behavior over the last 10 months,” Jacobs told CNN. “I think Israel’s security is incredibly important. I have family who live there. But what Netanyahu has done, how he has prosecuted this war, what he has been doing in the West Bank does not actually make Israel any safer.”

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota told CNN that instead of attending the address, she gave her tickets to family members of the hostages being held.

Leading up to Netanyahu’s arrival, Jewish Voice for Peace staged a 300-person sit-in to protest Netanyahu’s appearance and the decision from congressional leadership to meet with him.

“This is a war criminal that nobody, not a single one of our elected officials should be meeting with Netanyahu,” JVP communications director Sonya Meyerson-Knox told CNN. “And in fact, what we are demanding from our elected officials is to actually do everything they can to get to a ceasefire to save lives.”

House Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee’s office had to call US Capitol Police for help after protestors swarmed his office, which resulted in several arrests.

“Hundreds of protesters outside the office became disruptive, violently beating on the office doors, shouting loudly, and attempting to force entry into the office,” Kildee’s chief of staff, Mitchell Rivard, said in a statement to CNN. “The U.S. Capitol Police and Sergeant at Arms responded immediately to the incident and have made several arrests. Congressman Kildee is safe and his staff are all accounted for.”

Capitol Police are preparing for a large coalition protest led by Palestinian groups to surround the Capitol on Wednesday in anticipation of Netanyahu’s arrival.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s statement on Netanyahu’s plans to address Congress. She did not say whether she would attend.

CNN’s Haley Talbot and Danya Gainor contributed to this report.

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