Netanyahu Address to US Congress, ICC Arrest Warrants Lay Bare Democrat Divides Over Israel

A dramatic variance in responses from US Democratic lawmakers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address to a joint session of Congress and efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek his arrest are exposing potential fractures within America’s primary left-wing party over its support for the Jewish state.

A slew of Democratic lawmakers are seething over Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-NY) decision to sign an invitation for Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.

Likewise, some Democrats are jubilant over ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s decision to seek an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war — an act that seemingly placed the Israeli leader on the same moral level of Hamas terrorists Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh, whose arrests the ICC is also seeking.

Schumer’s weeks-long hesitation in joining Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) in extending an invitation to Netanyahu, coupled with his earlier condemnation of the Israeli premier, signaled intraparty disagreement among Democrats over the Jewish state. Netanyahu later accepted the invitation. Punchbowl News reported on Monday that the Israeli premier will address a joint meeting of Congress on June 13.

“It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited — by leaders from both parties — to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who caucuses with the Democrats. “Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) told reporters that Netanyahu should not be invited to speak before Congress. 

“I just don’t think it’s constructive for Netanyahu to be addressing, to be doing a joint address in this moment, period,” Ocasio-Cortez said. 

While appearing on a Twitch stream with anti-Israel influencer Hasan Piker, Ocasio-Cortez agreed that the Abraham Accords — a series of historic peace agreements between Israel and Arab states brokered with the help of the US — “absolutely” and “10,000 percent” motivated Hamas to commit its brutal slaughter against Israel on Oct. 7.

However, some Democrats signaled support for Netanyahu’s speech, arguing that supporting an ally in its time of need should supersede minor political disagreements. 

“Even though we might have policy disagreements with [Netanyahu], as we do with some of our NATO allies, I think he should get with the speaker and make it bipartisan,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) told Axios.

Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH) said that Congress is capable of acknowledging “heads of state without agreeing with everything they say.”

Likewise, Democrats are also divided over the prospect of Netanyahu potentially being handed a warrant by the ICC.

US President Biden initially called the ICC’s warrant request of Netanyahu “outrageous.” However, his administration later indicated that it would not join Republican attempts to sanction the international court.

The administration’s response to the ICC was met with criticisms by both anti-Israel and pro-Israel Democrats. 

While speaking at a terrorist-connected pro-Palestinian conference, Rep. Rashida Tliab (D-MI), lambasted the Biden administration for “attacking the authority” of the ICC.

“The International Court of Justice just ruled that the Israeli government must stop its invasion of Rafah, but President Biden says what’s happening in Gaza is not a genocide,” Tlaib said. “Where’s your red line, President Biden?”

Tlaib’s forceful condemnation of Biden irked some of her colleagues. 

“If people don’t like Biden and successfully work against his re-election, they’ll be responsible for the the undoing of America,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) told Axios.

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) drew a direct contrast to Tlaib, saying, “[I am] using every ounce of my free time to support President Biden. … He has been transparent and dedicated to Israel and I am proud to support his foreign aid agenda that protects democracy and stands by the Jewish people worldwide.”

A group of 19 Democrats issued a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last week, urging the Biden administration to pursue sanctions against the ICC.

“We urge the administration to consult with Congress to immediately impose sanctions against the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and any other officials who have demonstrated undue bias in their actions,” the letter read.

“The charges against Israeli leaders are baseless. They reflect the ICC’s well-documented historical bias against Israel. The evidence is clear: Hamas terrorists are responsible for wreaking havoc and sowing destruction,” the letter continued.

Democrats have found themselves increasingly divided over Israel in recent months. Progressive Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) have suggested that Israel’s military response to Hamas is tantamount to “genocide.” Meanwhile, moderate Democrats such as Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and John Fetterman (D-PA) have steadfastly supported the Jewish state’s military campaign to dislodge the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas from the Gaza Strip.