Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., on Sunday stated he prepares to avoid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress later on this month, blasting the speech as “a one-way lecture.”
“I will not participate in,” Khanna stated in an interview on NBC News’ “Fulfill journalism,” including, “I stated that if he wishes to pertain to speak with members of Congress about how to end the war and release captives, I would be great doing that, however I’m not going to being in a one-way lecture.”
Khanna signs up with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in preparing to boycott the Israeli leader’s speech.
Sanders previously this month blasted Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and questioned why congressional leaders welcomed him to speak in the very first location.
“What [Speaker Mike] Johnson is going to need to discuss to the American individuals is why he believes it’s okay to welcome someone to a joint session who is accountable for the deaths of some 38,000 Palestinians at this moment, 60% of whom are females and kids, senior individuals,” Sanders informed NBC News previously this month.
Khanna and Sanders’ choice shows the anger from numerous progressive Democrats towards Netanyahu, whom they view as a challenge to ending the war in Gaza and whom they blame for the humanitarian crisis impacting Palestinian civilians in the area.
Still, Khanna on Sunday stated that any legislators avoiding the speech “must be respectful” about their choice.
He included, “We’re not going to make a huge offer about it. He’s certainly dealing with the Congress, and there needs to be etiquette.”
This post was initially released on NBCNews.com