U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders commented on the invitation for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress. Sanders stated in a post on "X": "Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to speak before a joint session of Congress. I definitely will not attend." He added: "Israel does not have the right to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the desperate people of Gaza. This is a clear violation of U.S. and international law." He continued: "The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader. The ICC is right. Both are involved in clear and egregious violations of international law."
Netanyahu expressed his "happiness" on Saturday regarding his invitation to speak before the U.S. Congress. In a statement issued by his office, Netanyahu said, "I am pleased to have the honor of representing Israel before both Houses of Congress and to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to take our lives." The date of the Israeli Prime Minister's speech has not been announced, but U.S. media reported that it is expected to take place before or shortly after the August recess for American legislators.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned on Friday that Democratic and Republican leaders have invited Netanyahu to speak at a joint session of Congress. Netanyahu has previously addressed Congress, but Johnson's announcement on Friday marks the first invitation for him to speak in the U.S. legislature since he began his current term as Prime Minister in late 2022. The Israeli Prime Minister has not been invited to the White House since returning to office.
