Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday afternoon as the “worst” by a foreign leader in its history, saying his time would have been better spent reaching a deal to free the hostages.
“Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber today was by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi posted to X on Wednesday.
Pelosi’s post highlights a widening rift between the Democratic Party and Israel, in which American support for Israel may be shedding its bipartisan nature as the party’s progressive wing sides with the Palestinian cause.
It also raises doubts as to whether one of Netanyahu’s stated goals for addressing Congress members in the first place—“to anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel”—was attainable in the current climate.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber today was by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.
Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli…
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 24, 2024
Pelosi didn’t attend the speech, choosing instead to go to an event with hostages’ families and families who’ve lost loved ones in the Gaza war.
“Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack and kidnappings,” Pelosi said.
“These families are asking for a ceasefire deal that will bring the hostages home—and we hope the prime minister would spend his time achieving that goal,” she added.
Vice President and presumptive 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris also skipped the speech. According to reports, she has been pushing the Biden administration to get “tougher” on Netanyahu since at least December.
Domestic politics appears to drive part of Harris’s calculations with The Washington Post reporting in March that Harris had warned White House advisers that young voters see the Israeli-Arab conflict differently than older ones.
Roughly half of Democrats didn’t attend Netanyahu’s talk. Axios reporter Andrew Solender estimated that only 100 of the 212 House Democrats and 27 of 51 Senate Democrats attended.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), censured by the House on Nov. 7 for “promoting false narratives regarding” the Oct. 7 Hamas attack “and for calling for the destruction of the State of Israel,” held up a sign throughout the speech accusing Netanyahu of being “guilty of genocide.”
Only one Republican refused to attend, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). whose fervent criticisms of his pro-Israel colleagues have provoked charges of antisemitism due to his accusations of dual loyalty. He called Netanyahu’s appearance “political theater on behalf of the State Department.”