Democrats Inviting Netanyahu to Congress Sparks Fury: 'Shameful'

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is planning to join Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson in inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress, a move that has sparked backlash from progressive voices online.

Johnson recently told The Hill that he had sent Schumer a draft invitation about a month ago, but that the Senate leader had not yet cosigned it. Schumer's office told the outlet, "He intends to join the invitation, the timing is being worked out."

In October, following Hamas' attack on Israel, the country launched a widespread aerial bombing campaign and ground offensive on Gaza. The Israeli military offensive has left more than 34,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

On May 3, Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator, criticized the congressional leaders' planned invitation to Israel's prime minister in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing: "Netanyahu should not be welcomed to Congress. How shameful."

Medea Benjamin, a Jewish activist who co-founded the global anti-war movement Code Pink, also condemned the move, writing, "Schumer is such a sell out."

Others took to social media to mention that Schumer had called for the end of the Netanyahu-led government in March.

Journalist Sana Saeed wrote on X: "Reminder that it's all theater. 'Criticism' of Netanyahu from people like Pelosi and Schumer is meant to protect Biden, that's it."

Schumer's support of the planned invitation should not come as a surprise. In March, a week after criticizing Netanyahu, the Democrat said he would be open to such an invitation to the Israeli prime minister, adding that the U.S.'s relationship with Israel "transcends" any one political leader.

The war has become a flash point in the U.S., where widespread pro-Palestine protests have broken out at dozens of college campuses—including Yale, Columbia and UCLA—and more than 2,100 protesters have been arrested.

In a speech on May 2, President Joe Biden defended the right to protest as essential for democracy, but he added that "order must prevail."

Democrats have found themselves divided on the protests. While some progressive lawmakers, such as Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, have supported the protesters, many of the party's leaders—including Schumer—have criticized them.

The issue puts the party in an increasingly difficult position with younger, more progressive voters—who have historically been a crucial demographic in their electoral base, and who, polls have shown, widely disapprove of Biden's handling of the conflict.

The president has affirmed the U.S.'s commitment to Israel's security while also calling for restraint and more humanitarian assistance in Gaza. However, progressives have criticized him for not endorsing calls for a ceasefire or expressing solidarity with the protesters.

Hasan Pyarali, the Muslim Caucus chairperson for College Democrats of America, the university arm of the Democratic Party, told Al Jazeera he was disappointed by Biden's response to the protests.

"We're here to make it known that if he doesn't change course, there's a real risk that we [Democrats] lose 2024," he said.

He continued: "It's now on him to go forward. If he wants to continue down the path that is unpopular, unjust and genocidal, he certainly can—he's the president of the United States. But it's at the peril of essentially losing an entire generation of voters and also risking the 2024 election."