Netanyahu's US Congress Address Sparks Security Clampdown and Political Boycotts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to the US Congress prompts tight security and political boycotts. Protesters chant against arming Israel, while some US lawmakers abstain from attending. Netanyahu will surpass Churchill for the most congressional speeches by a foreign leader.

In anticipation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's joint address to the US Congress on Wednesday, Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, has been placed under tight security. Unauthorized access has been restricted, with law enforcement blocking traffic two blocks away and turning away pedestrians and vehicles, Al Jazeera reported.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the Washington Hebrew Congregation on Wednesday morning, opposing Netanyahu as he attended a memorial service for former US Senator Joe Lieberman, a fervent Israel supporter who passed away in March. Protesters donned T-shirts with slogans like 'Jews say stop arming Israel,' CNN reported.

Earlier in the week, additional security measures, including barricades, were installed around the Capitol and the Watergate Hotel, where Netanyahu is staying, according to CNN. With this address, Netanyahu will surpass Winston Churchill in delivering the most joint session speeches to the US Congress by a foreign leader, having previously spoken in 1996, 2011, and 2015.

At least nine senators and dozens of House members plan to boycott Netanyahu's address, citing Israel's actions in Gaza. Lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Bernie Sanders, and Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, are among those abstaining due to what they describe as the 'partisan' nature of the visit, Al Jazeera reported.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday following US President Joe Biden's abrupt re-election campaign announcement on social media the previous Sunday. Biden is slated to address the nation on Wednesday night, just hours after Netanyahu's speech, as reported by the Times of Israel.

Former President Donald Trump is set to meet Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday morning. The conflict in Gaza intensified after an October 7 attack by Hamas, in which about 2,500 militants breached the Israeli border, resulting in casualties and hostages.

Israel has since characterised its Gaza offensive as a targeted operation against Hamas infrastructure, aiming to eliminate the terror group while attempting to minimize civilian casualties, according to ANI.