July 24th 2024.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington has sparked a series of protests in the nation's capital, including a sit-in at a congressional office building that resulted in multiple arrests. While some of these demonstrations have criticized Israel, others have expressed their support while urging Netanyahu to prioritize a cease-fire agreement and bring the remaining hostages held by Hamas back home.
Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday for a scheduled visit that involves meetings with President Joe Biden and a speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. In the evening of his arrival, dozens of protesters gathered outside his hotel, and the next day, hundreds of demonstrators staged a flashmob-style protest in the Cannon Building, which houses offices of House of Representatives members. The protest, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, saw participants wearing red shirts with the words "Not In Our Name" taking over the building's rotunda, sitting on the floor, holding up signs, and chanting for Gaza to be allowed to live.
After approximately thirty minutes of peaceful protest, officers from the U.S. Capitol Police issued multiple warnings before starting to arrest the protesters one by one, using zip ties to bind their hands. "I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors, and I know what a Holocaust looks like," said Jane Hirschmann, who drove down from Saugerties, New York, along with her two daughters, both of whom were arrested. "When we say 'Never Again,' we mean never for anybody."
Much of the demonstrators' anger was directed towards the Biden administration, with demands for the president to immediately halt all arms shipments to Israel. "We're not focusing on Netanyahu. He's just a symptom," Hirschmann explained. "But how can we call for a cease-fire when we're sending them bombs and planes?"
As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the Capitol Police did not have a final count of the number of people arrested. However, according to a statement from JVP, approximately 400 people, including over a dozen rabbis, had been arrested. Mitchell Rivard, chief of staff for Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., stated that the office called for Capitol Police intervention after the demonstrators became disruptive and attempted to force their way in. Kildee himself was confused as to why his office was targeted, revealing that he had voted against a large military aid package to Israel earlier this year.
On Tuesday evening, families of some of the remaining hostages held a protest vigil on the National Mall, calling on Netanyahu to reach a resolution with Hamas and bring back the 120 Israeli hostages still in Gaza. About 150 people, dressed in yellow shirts with the words "Seal the Deal NOW!" chanted "Bring Them Home" and listened to speeches from relatives and former hostages. While the demonstrators applauded when Biden's name was mentioned, some criticized Netanyahu, known as "Bibi," for allegedly delaying or playing hardball with a proposed cease-fire deal that would secure the return of all hostages.
"I'm begging Bibi," said Aviva Siegel, who spent 51 days as a hostage and whose husband, Keith, remains in captivity. "There's a deal on the table, and you have to take it. I want Bibi to look me in the eyes and tell me one thing: that Keith is coming home."
Multiple protests are planned for Wednesday, when Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress. In anticipation, security around the Capitol building has been significantly increased, and several roads have been closed for most of the week. According to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously, Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet on Thursday, with Vice President Kamala Harris meeting with Netanyahu separately on the same day. Since Harris, as Senate president, would normally sit behind foreign leaders addressing Congress, she will be absent on Wednesday due to a trip to Indianapolis that was scheduled before Biden withdrew his re-election bid and Harris became the likely Democratic presidential candidate over the weekend.
In addition to meeting with Biden and Harris, Netanyahu also announced that he would meet with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday.
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