June 11th 2024.
Rep. James Clyburn has made the decision to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned speech in July. This comes as a result of Israel's recent military campaign in Gaza and past tensions between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama. Clyburn shared his reasoning in an interview with NewsNation, stating that he will treat Netanyahu in the same manner that he believes the prime minister treated Obama. Instead, Clyburn plans to participate in an alternative session with a group of others, in hopes of bringing attention to what he believes is a more sensible approach.
The feud between Obama and Netanyahu began in 2015 when the prime minister took a stance against Palestinian statehood and the U.S.'s negotiations for a nuclear deal with Iran. Clyburn is a strong supporter of a two-state solution in the Middle East and believes that Netanyahu has consistently opposed this idea, despite efforts from both Obama and current President Joe Biden. In fact, the NAACP shares this sentiment and recently penned a letter to President Biden, urging him to halt the sale of weapons to Israel.
In early June, NBC News reported that the NAACP's letter stated the current administration's statement on the violence was not enough and that more needed to be done to work towards a resolution that benefits all parties involved. Biden's campaign spokesperson, Sarafina Chitika, responded by saying that the president shares the goal of ending the violence and recognizes the significance of the upcoming election in relation to the tensions in the Middle East. Chitika also emphasized the importance of earning the votes of the American people, rather than simply asking for them.
Clyburn stands in support of the NAACP and their call to action, but as a legislator, he also supports the current administration. He acknowledges the difficulty of finding common ground and believes that it cannot be achieved by always having things go your way. While Biden works towards finding a compromise, Clyburn believes that Netanyahu's actions are not in line with the desires of the majority of the people of Israel.
Despite criticism from Democrats, Netanyahu is still scheduled to speak at a joint meeting on July 24. This decision has sparked boycotts from other Democratic leaders, including Clyburn. The ongoing violence in Gaza has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians and the tensions only continue to rise. In light of this, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley visited Israel and wrote "Finish Them" on an artillery shell, further igniting the controversy.
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