Mohammad Mahdi Abbasi, researcher in the field of American Studies
Throughout its more than 200-year history, the US Congress has welcomed numerous presidents, prime ministers, and world leaders. Esteemed figures such as Churchill, Modi, Merkel, and other top officials from 48 countries have given historic speeches in Congress. While the list of foreign politicians who have appeared on Capitol Hill over the decades includes many controversial figures, the US Congress had never faced the dishonor of hosting an international criminal and war criminal like Netanyahu. Benjamin Netanyahu, with four appearances before Congress, has addressed American lawmakers more than any other politician. It seems as though members of Congress feel the need to renew their allegiance to one of the most notorious figures in history every few years. However, this time, unlike previous visits, his appearance sparked significant controversy and criticism. From the boycott of his speech by 128 lawmakers and the display of “war criminal” placards during his address to widespread protests throughout Washington, D.C., Netanyahu's visit was met with substantial opposition.
However, the US Congress's shame extends beyond hosting the Prime Minister of Israel. Following the events of October 7 and the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, both the House of Representatives and the Senate have tarnished their reputation by fully supporting the massacre of the people of Gaza, one of the greatest crimes in human history. The most significant action taken by the US Congress in support of the genocide in Gaza was the approval of various financial and aid packages. From the early months of the conflict, Congress used American taxpayers' money to fund Israel's war efforts. One notable instance of this was the approval of a $17 billion aid package in May to support Israel.
In recent months, US Congress's support for Israel has taken on new and broader dimensions. In May, the House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at expanding the definition of “anti-Semitism” to limit and criminalize criticism of Israel in the country. During the student protests in support of Palestine across the US, several senators, including Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton, pushed for laws that would revoke the visas of foreign students supporting Palestine. One part of the proposed bill by these senators stated that the visas of students arrested by police for creating, participating in, or promoting a protest on the campus of a university or higher education institution on or after October 7, 2023, should be revoked. In a shocking move during the height of these protests, Congressman Andy Ogles even proposed a bill to send pro-Palestinian student protesters to Gaza.
Moreover, following the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, the US Congress became intolerant of even mild criticism of the Zionist regime within the House of Representatives. With over 234 votes, Congress condemned Rashida Tlaib, the Muslim and Palestinian-American congresswoman, for her criticism of Israel. Moreover, many of Congress's staunch Zionist supporters proposed expelling Tlaib from the House entirely.
Additionally, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson rejected the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling on Netanyahu, defying the US's usual commitment to international laws and judgments, and even called for punitive measures against the ICC. In a further provocative move, Congress later passed a bill imposing sanctions on the ICC following its issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
As mentioned, the US Congress now faces the disgrace of supporting one of history's major genocides. For decades, Congress had passed numerous misleading bills and resolutions in support of human rights, democracy, and free speech, but the true nature of its stance has become evident following the Gaza conflict. This was also noted by the Leader of Islamic Revolution during the endorsement of the new president, saying: “Governments, nations, intellectuals, and political figures in various fields must truly come to a decision. When you look at it in this way, you realize what a great disgrace the US Congress brought upon itself the day before yesterday by convening to listen to this criminal [Benjamin Netanyahu]. This is a huge disgrace.”
(The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Khamenei.ir.)
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