Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the most senior Jewish Member of the House of Representatives, issued the following statement ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“Benjamin Netanyahu is the worst leader in Jewish history since the Maccabean king who invited the Romans into Jerusalem over 2100 years ago.  Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress is not in service of furthering the deep ties that bind the United States and Israel together, but rather is a cynical stunt aimed at aiding his own desperate political standing at home and meddling in domestic American politics only months before a highly consequential election. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his American allies are seeking to use the United States Congress, the greatest legislative body in the world, as the set for their next partisan advertisement, casting elected Members of Congress as glorified extras. There is no question in my mind that tomorrow’s speech should not be happening.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu will enter the chamber in dire political straits. According to a recent Israeli poll, 72% of the Israeli public thinks he should resign. After all, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been standing trial in three separate cases in Israeli courts for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust for the past four and a half years. The Israeli public has understandably lost trust in Prime Minister Netanyahu. This is unsurprising considering, as I wrote last year in Ha’aretz, his attempt to undermine democratic norms, including an independent judiciary, which serves as the only true check on the government in the Israeli system. When Israelis took to the streets to protest, Netanyahu continued to pursue his fringe legislative agenda to erode Israeli democratic norms, which would result in a likely dismissal of his own legal case.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu also ignored the warning signs that pointed to Hamas’ October 7^th horrific attack, and championed the policies that led to Hamas’ increase in funds, power, and military capability.  He has continued to go against advice of Israeli security leaders and has already started to plant the seeds to seek to blame military leadership for the failings of October 7^th, shifting responsibility away from his policies and politically motivated decisions. There are still 120 Israeli hostages in Gaza, including 8 Americans, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has yet to secure an agreement that would return them to their families. Only two weeks ago an Israeli security official was quoted in the Israeli press as saying that “Netanyahu pretends that he wants a deal, but is working to torpedo it. He’s dragging out the process, trying to stretch time until his speech in Congress.”

“Despite multiple offers to create a unity government to aid in securing a ceasefire, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been insistent on maintaining his far-right government, beholden to extremist ministers, including a minister convicted of support for a terrorist group and incitement to racism. Members of his government have insisted on continuing the war beyond the recommendations of security officials, regardless of the impact on the hostages. The Prime Minister is putting the security of Israel, the lives of the hostages, and the stability of the region in perilous jeopardy, simply to maintain the stability of his far-right coalition. This also happens to be the same and only coalition committed to his judicial legislative proposals, which, if passed, would likely absolve him of his own legal troubles.

“The impetus for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address has little to do with Israel’s security, nor with the United States’ support for Israel. The address is the next step in a long line of manipulative bad-faith efforts by Republicans to further politicize the U.S.-Israel relationship for partisan gain.

“As a lifelong Zionist, I am deeply committed to Israel’s fundamental security and opportunity to prosper. In my 32 years in Congress, I have voted countless times to provide security assistance to Israel, and I intend to continue. I have worked to ensure a healthy U.S.-Israel relationship, not in the service of electoral gotchas, but rather because I have not given up on the dream of an Israel that can live in peace with its neighbors, including with Palestinians, through a negotiated two-state solution, and with additional Arab and Muslim-majority countries normalizing relations with Israel. I believe the United States has a crucial and irreplaceable role to play in the realization of this dream, and Congress cannot abdicate its responsibility to do its part.

“For these reasons, and out of respect for the State of Israel and the office of the Prime Minister, I plan to attend tomorrow’s joint address. I have not made this decision lightly, and, indeed, I respect my colleagues who have come to a different conclusion. As someone who has woken up every morning since October 7^th and fastened the U.S.-Israel flag pin to my lapel, I feel my voice is more impactful in the room, holding the Prime Minister accountable. On behalf of my many concerned constituents, I will continue to give voice to the vision of Israel articulated by its founders in its declaration of independence, that the State of Israel “will be based on the precepts of liberty, justice and peace.”

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