Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, made it clear on Wednesday that she will not be attending the joint address to Congress by Israeli president Isaac Herzog. She gave reasons for her decision, citing the ongoing tensions between the Israeli government and Palestine as the main factor.
In a Twitter thread, Omar stated, “There is no way in hell I am attending the joint session address from a President whose country has banned me and denied @RashidaTlaib the ability to see her grandma.” She emphasized that it would be inappropriate for the U.S. to invite a president from a country that has barred her and fellow lawmaker Representative Rashida Tlaib from visiting.
Omar expressed further concerns about Herzog’s upcoming address, noting that it comes at a time when the Israeli government, considered to be the most right-wing in the nation’s history, openly declares its intention to “crush” the hopes of Palestinians for statehood, effectively undermining any chance of peace or a two-state solution.
In her Twitter thread, Omar also highlighted other recent issues and concerns with the Israeli government, including the far-right members’ attempts to enact legislation that would significantly change the country’s Supreme Court.
Additionally, she mentioned her opposition to inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a joint address to Congress last month, citing concerns about his government’s human rights record.
Omar concluded her thread by asserting that while the United States should engage with the Israeli government using diplomatic tools, granting the current government the honor of a joint televised address sends the wrong signal at the wrong time.
Isaac Herzog, who has been serving as the country’s president since 2021, is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19 during his visit to Washington, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel. His father, Chaim Herzog, previously addressed Congress in November 1987, making Isaac the second Israeli president to do so.
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