Jayapal Statement on Netanyahu Address

WASHINGTON - U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on her decision to not attend the Joint Address of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Prime Minister Netanyahu should not have been invited to come and speak to the U.S. Congress. I cannot in good conscience sit and listen to him speak as Palestinian people starve and hostages, including Israelis and Americans, remain in captivity. He has used US taxpayer dollars for a horrific assault on Gaza and the Palestinian people and continued to flout both international humanitarian law and our own US domestic law in denying humanitarian assistance to Gaza and launching indiscriminate attacks that have killed over 38,000 Palestinians and injured over 88,000. The Netanyahu government has vocally opposed a two-state solution, a stated position of the United States. I do not believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu is interested in reaching a deal for a ceasefire that would return the hostages and bring peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. In fact, I believe he has been actively working against these goals for his own political self-preservation. This is simply not the way he should be engaging with Israel's largest funder of military assistance and we must use all our leverage to make it clear we will not continue to support offensive military assistance to Israel until we achieve a ceasefire and bring all the hostages home.

"Tomorrow morning, I will join my colleagues in meeting with the families of hostages taken in the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, to listen to and strategize on their efforts to bring their loved ones home and to give witness to their pain and suffering. And then, instead of attending Netanyahu's address, I will attend a panel discussion led by the Center for American Progress and other organizations on the path to peace. This event will feature a Palestinian leader, an Jewish Israeli leader, and a former IDF soldier - all of whom are dedicated to finding a path toward peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

"I am committed to working toward peace, security, and safety in the region for all people. That is not the path of the Netanyahu government."

Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security