Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" and said his invitation to speak to Congress should be revoked.
"This man should not be addressing Congress," Ocasio-Cortez wrote Tuesday on X. "He is a war criminal. And he certainly has no regard for U.S. law, which is explicitly designed to prevent U.S. weapons from facilitating human rights abuses. His invitation should be revoked. It should have never been sent in the first place."
Netanyahu was invited to speak to Congress on July 24, with leaders from both sides of the aisle signing a letter of invitation, the New York Post reported.
The document, stating that the offer was being made to "highlight America's solidarity with Israel," was signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
The invitation comes as political divisions widen over Israel's war against Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks, but not all members of Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez, and other "Squad" members, welcome Netanyahu.
The controversy grew last month after Karim Khan, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, said he wants to seek arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, as well as Hamas leaders.
"Instead of coming here, we need Netanyahu to stop bombing indiscriminately in Gaza and for him to respect the president's red line of not having continued military operations in Rafah," Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, told Fox News this month.
Casar added that he does not plan to attend the speech but will participate in measures to push for Netanyahu and Hamas leaders to agree to a cease-fire.
Ocasio-Cortez's X message came after she said this month that there is "very little purpose" for Netanyahu to address Congress.
"I think it is patently unproductive," she said in an interview. "I think it's counterproductive right now for him to address Congress, particularly as we continue to try to nail down details on the cease-fire. I certainly do not approve of it, [and I] potentially may not attend."
The relationship between Netanyahu and President Joe Biden has become more tense in recent months, with Biden privately and publicly criticizing the prime minister's handling of the war.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.