Thousands Stand Up to Netanyahu and the War Makers in Washington
July 26, 2024—Despite facing multiple police agencies, who came from as far away as New York, and a Capitol encased in heavy metal fences to protect a war criminal, tens-of-thousands of determined supporters of the Palestinian people, from around the U.S., came to say no to the visit of the genocidal Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, who was being welcomed with open arms by the war profiteers and the great majority of Democrat and Republican representatives in Congress.
In a major speech of nearly an hour to both houses of the U.S. Congress, Netanyahu harangued and admonished the representatives to “send us the tools so we can finish the job.” His reference, of course, is for even more weapons of mass destruction to continue the genocide of Palestinian people that has killed nearly 40,000, mostly women and children, with U.S. made weapons. There was no mention of any movement towards a cease fire from Netanyahu, who has been included in an application of arrest for his criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Today, Netanyahu was lauded by Congress for the fourth time for faithfully maintaining an armed garrison state that protects and expands U.S. imperial interests in the Middle East.
But what the Zionist leader saved most of his anger for was the growing solidarity movement standing with the heroic people of Palestine that was ignited on the campuses of the colleges and universities across the U.S. by a new generation that is not going away. “Those outside in the street are useful idiots of Iran and other enemies!” he yelled. It may be hard for some to imagine how a president of a foreign nation can come here to condemn and degrade antiwar activists opposing genocide in the U.S. Capitol in front of the assembled elected officials of the country who not only allowed it but gave him multiple standing ovations as well, even though ending the war in Palestine is the majority opinion of their constituencies. It is obvious Netanyahu would not of even wasted his breath if this broad movement wasn’t having a worldwide impact.
Washington, D.C. had tried to eliminate free speech during Netanyahu’s visit by not issuing march permits, but that did not deter the thousands who flooded the streets and followed Netanyahu wherever he was, including the Watergate Hotel where he was staying. Many of the major intersections of the city were taken over and held today by protestors, bringing traffic and business as usual to a stop.
The breadth of the organizations at the main gathering on the street leading to the capitol was evident in the 