Washington DC – Hours earlier than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived on the U.S. Capitol to deal with Congress, a lady with a blue scarf obscuring her face sat alone on a park bench and waved a Palestinian flag close to Union Station in Washington, D.C.
“We’ll struggle for freedom wherever it’s denied to us world wide. We join with Palestinians as a result of we’re freedom fighters right here in the US,” the lone protester, who requested to stay nameless, informed Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
She was one in every of hundreds of protesters who would finally collect within the capital to show in opposition to the Israeli prime minister’s speech.
As U.S. lawmakers cheered Netanyahu contained in the domed constructing, activists outdoors referred to as for him to be tried for abuses associated to Israel’s conflict in Gaza. Many argued that Netanyahu is a conflict legal who belongs in jail, not within the halls of Congress.
Protesters held effigies of a bloodstained Netanyahu, waved Palestinian flags and chanted “Free Palestine” because the Israeli prime minister spoke.
Prime Republican and Democratic lawmakers in each the Senate and Home of Representatives invited Netanyahu to deal with the joint session of Congress.
However regardless of the present of bipartisan help, dozens of lawmakers boycotted Wednesday’s speech, echoing considerations expressed by protesters.
Irene Ippolito, a protester wearing a crimson keffiyeh, described congressional leaders as a “bunch of sycophants” for bringing Netanyahu to Congress.
“We now have to take to the streets. We now have to say: ‘Not in our title,’” Ippolito informed Al Jazeera. “As Americans, we now have to comprehend that this couldn’t be taking place with out our taxpayers sending tons of weapons to Israel because it massacres males, ladies and youngsters in Gaza.”
He added that the atrocities in Gaza are the “most documented genocide in human historical past.”
Safety measures
Protesters like Ippolito braved scorching summer season warmth, blocked roads and confronted a heavy police presence as they arrived on the rally website simply west of the Capitol. Some even got here from throughout the nation.
Because the protest continued, organizers led a march east by way of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Legislation enforcement officers had cordoned off the Capitol with a steel fence earlier this week.
However on Wednesday morning the safety perimeter was prolonged, stopping automobiles and pedestrians from approaching the constructing. Teams of closely armed police and safety personnel in riot gear had been seen all through the realm.
Capitol Police stated they used pepper spray in opposition to protesters who had “change into violent,” with out offering additional particulars.
Al Jazeera witnessed harsh exchanges between officers and protesters, however no clashes or bodily violence.
Adam Abusalah, an Arab-American activist from Dearborn, Michigan, stated it was a “shame” that Netanyahu was invited to talk earlier than Congress.
“It is a shame that members of each events invited him to talk right here. It is a shame that Kamala Harris, the Democratic Social gathering’s digital nominee, is assembly with him,” Abusalah informed Al Jazeera at an anti-Netanyahu protest close to the Capitol.
“We’re right here to say that sufficient is sufficient. As Individuals, we is not going to tolerate this.”
Harris, who as vice chairman has the ceremonial function of presiding over the Senate, was at an occasion in Indianapolis and didn’t attend Netanyahu’s speech on Capitol Hill.
However he’s scheduled to fulfill with him later this week.
The vice chairman is now the Democratic Social gathering’s presumptive nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
The Biden administration has licensed greater than $14 billion in army support to Israel to assist fund the conflict effort, whereas providing the U.S. ally diplomatic cowl in worldwide boards.
“He has no proper to be right here”
Among the protesters’ anger on Wednesday was directed on the US president. “Biden, Biden, you may’t conceal. We accuse you of genocide,” they chanted.
Karim, a Palestinian-American protester who requested to be recognized solely by his first title, stated he wouldn’t help Harris for president after she served as Biden’s vice chairman.
As a substitute, he stated he would vote for Inexperienced Social gathering candidate Jill Stein, who spoke on the rally.
Karim arrived in Washington, D.C., on a bus with dozens of protesters on Wednesday and expressed bewilderment that Netanyahu was invited to talk on Capitol Hill.
“He has no proper to be right here,” he informed Al Jazeera. “We don’t help conflict criminals. We don’t help genocidal maniacs.”
In his remarks to U.S. lawmakers, Netanyahu defended the Israeli conflict, which has killed greater than 39,000 Palestinians, displaced greater than 80 p.c of Gaza’s inhabitants and pushed the territory to the brink of famine.
He additionally vowed to struggle till “whole victory” regardless of US-led efforts to dealer a ceasefire deal.
The Israeli prime minister has lashed out at anti-war protesters in the US, accusing them of siding with Hamas.
“These protesters who help them needs to be ashamed of themselves,” Netanyahu stated.
He additionally referred to as protesters outdoors the Capitol “Iran’s helpful idiots,” incomes him a standing ovation from U.S. lawmakers.
‘Hitler quantity two’
On the streets of Washington, protesters had nothing however contempt for the Israeli chief. A number of indicators in contrast him to Nazi chief Adolf Hitler.
Protester Sarah Bowls stated senior lawmakers who invited Netanyahu to the US Capitol needs to be “ashamed” of themselves.
“We should always boycott him. He needs to be arrested. He needs to be in The Hague,” she stated, referring to the Dutch metropolis the place the Worldwide Prison Court docket (ICC) is predicated.
ICC prosecutors are in search of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his protection minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged conflict crimes in Gaza.
Bowls added that she is “fed up” together with her authorities persevering with to fund and allow “genocide” in opposition to Palestinians.
Jenny Bennett, who traveled from Dayton, Ohio, to hitch the rally, additionally rebuked Netanyahu.
“He’s the second Hitler,” Bennett informed Al Jazeera. “This isn’t proper. We’re all equal. That is genocide and it should finish now.”