Pro-Palestine protestors rally against Netanyahu during Congress address

Washington, DC — As US Congress members prepared to extend a warm welcome to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a starkly different scene unfolded outside the Capitol. Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in dissent, voicing their opposition to the visit and the policies of Netanyahu’s administration.

Among the demonstrators was 30-year-old Najjam Malik, a Pakistani-American working in a law firm. Speaking to TRT World, Malik expressed, "When you see this level of oppression (against Palestinians) and level of repression of their self-determination… you have to stand up, especially in this country." His words echoed the sentiment of many who felt that the ongoing conflict and repression warranted urgent attention and protest.

Malik, who also has an Irish background, said the US politicians should cut military aid to Netanyahu's regime and the governments that follow, saying that Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir are no different.

He also said that Israel has to "assume more risk" by allowing Palestinians to have their state because Palestinians are "not going away clearly."

"If they don't do that, they have to continually get into these brutal conflicts in order to suppress the self-determination of the people of Palestine," he added.

Another participant, Policy Manager Adam Beddawi, told TRT World that "AIPAC has recognised that the tide is turning among the younger generations, and so they've tried to stand up initiatives to reach out to young people, and their message is being rejected because people understand the reality of occupation. They understand the reality of what is now a genocide."

Beddawi said that the US should handle the carnage in besieged Gaza as an extension of their responsibility to the democratic process, adding that the majority of people of the US want to see peace and freedom for the Palestinians.

"I think it's very simple: just listen to the people," he added.

The protest, dubbed "Netanyahu: you are not welcome in DC!" saw thousands of people pouring in from all states coming to protest against Netanyahu's carnage in Gaza, where Israel killed over 39,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children.

Protesters demanded a ceasefire, an end to the military aid to Israel, and the arrest of Netanyahu.

Speakers condemn Netanyahu

Speakers lined up to address the crowd, including Green Party's presidential candidate Jill Stein.

"How dare you invite this criminal," Stein said as she kicked off her speech, referring to the Congress inviting Netanyahu.

"We will free Palestine together," she said to a roaring crowd.

Stein has been present at many pro-Palestine protests in the US and was arrested during the Student Spring that took the US by storm three months ago.

Another speaker, Rabbi Dovid Feldman, told the crowd that the Jewish people are "forbidden to kill, steal or oppress any people, especially the Palestinian people, who were kind to us for so long."

"We condemn Netanyahu when we say 'your hand is covered in blood,'" Feldman said, stressing that peace reigned between Muslims and Jewish people in Palestine before the creation of Zionism.

Feldman, from the Neturei Karta Orthodox Jewish group — who long supported the Palestinian cause — said that a ceasefire is not enough but a "total end to the entire occupation of Palestine."

"And then, and only then, we can hope to see once again the historic peace being the future, God willing, Insha'Allah," Feldman concluded.

US' reputation in peril

CodePink, one of the organising groups of the protest, told TRT World that the Congressmen inviting Netanyahu are "giving the message that they support a war criminal by ignoring the world court."

"This just furthers their complicity," CodePink said.

"Our demands are arrest Netanyahu, send him to Hague, end the genocide, and Free Palestine."

Beddawi said that people want to see the money sent to Israel be invested in the US instead.

"Now they see a country that is throwing its resources and throwing its reputation away," he said, stressing that this particular concern is coming from a place of love towards the US.

"I resent the implication that these views are anti-American or rather just views from people whose allegiances lie outside of this country."

Around 50 Congressmen boycotted Netanyahu's speech on Wednesday, including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

On that note, some protesters tried to remain hopeful.

"I'm a little bit hopeful because Harris is not attending the Congressional hearing today that maybe she will be more in favour of peace and a ceasefire than Trump would be and Biden has not been," Karl Wolf, a retiree from a non-profit administration, told TRT World.