Thousands of people gathered in Washington on Wednesday to protest against Benjamin Netanyahu and demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, as the Israeli prime minister prepared to address the US Congress.
Carrying Palestinian flags and placards ranging from leftist slogans to Bible verses, the crowd gathered outside the Capitol demanding a ceasefire and Netanyahu’s arrest as prosecutors sought a warrant against him at the International Criminal Court.
“The hypocrisy of our (US) politicians today has surpassed any limits,” protester Mo, 58, told AFP.
Netanyahu will address Congress on Wednesday, delivering his highest-profile speech to the US government, Israel’s staunch ally in the war against Hamas.
Relations have become strained as a rising number of civilian deaths in Gaza have led to protests in the United States and growing criticism of President Joe Biden’s administration, though there has been little change in the pattern of US military support.
The protesters gathered on Wednesday were demanding a ceasefire and were also criticizing Netanyahu’s visit to America.
One sign quoted a Bible verse and read, “Seek and pursue peace,” while others were designed as “wanted” signs for criminals, with Netanyahu’s photo replaced by his own.
Another message read, “Arrest that war criminal.”
“We are horrified by the destruction of the health system in Gaza,” Karameh Kuemmerle, from the Doctors Against Genocide organisation, told AFP.
“And we are here to show our opposition to the criminal Netanyahu coming to our capital and being welcomed by the politicians who sent him weapons to kill children in Gaza,” said the doctor, who came to Washington from Boston.
Israel has recently stepped up its attacks on Gaza and Netanyahu has insisted that only by increasing military pressure can the hostages be freed and Hamas defeated. On October 7, Hamas launched a major attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli figures.
The militants also took 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, 44 of whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,145 people, the vast majority of them civilians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
