Some lawmakers believe Pelosi is out of control.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a prominent Democrat from California, sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent address to Congress, calling it the “worst” speech ever delivered by a foreign leader to the U.S. legislative body. Pelosi’s remarks, shared on the social media platform X, reflect a significant rift between Netanyahu and some members of the Democratic Party.
Pelosi’s criticism centers on Netanyahu’s perceived lack of progress in negotiating a deal to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. She chose to skip the speech to attend a session with Israeli families affected by the October 7th Hamas attacks. These families, she noted, are calling for a ceasefire and an expedited resolution to bring their loved ones home. Pelosi expressed disappointment that Netanyahu did not focus more on achieving this critical goal.
This criticism highlights the growing discord between Netanyahu and Democrats, despite the party’s general support for Israel. The divide has been exacerbated by Netanyahu’s reluctance to back a hostage deal favored by President Biden. Notably, approximately half of both the House and Senate Democrats opted out of the lengthy speech, which featured Netanyahu minimizing civilian casualties, suggesting American protesters were influenced by Iran, and targeting his critics.
During his address, Netanyahu lauded President Biden for his steadfast support of Israel and urged Congress to increase its military and financial assistance. He emphasized the importance of U.S.-Israel unity in ensuring the success of democratic values, praising Biden for “half a century of friendship” and advocating for accelerated U.S. military aid to help bring an end to the conflict in Gaza and prevent a wider regional war.
The speech also sparked protests outside the Capitol, leading to at least 11 arrests, as reported by U.S. Park Police and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. In a notable incident during the address, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) displayed a sign accusing Netanyahu of war crimes and genocide. This followed a recommendation from an International Criminal Court prosecutor to charge Netanyahu for alleged war crimes related to the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza.
