Conn. delegation split on Netanyahu speech to Congress
Connecticut’s delegation was split Wednesday over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, reflecting views across the country.
Numerous high-profile Democrats boycotted the speech or said they had other obligations than to attend a mid-afternoon address Netanyahu was scheduled to deliver as the controversial war continued to rage in the Gaza Strip. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, who is running for vice president, were traveling and unable to attend. Other prominent Democrats who are skipping the speech include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. As many as 80 to 100 members of Congress were expected to miss the speech, but he received multiple loud, standing ovations from pro-Israel lawmakers.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a New Haven Democrat who is the longest-serving member of the Connecticut House delegation, is avoiding the address.
“As I did in 2015, I have decided not to attend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress,” DeLauro said. “My record shows that I am a strong supporter of Israel and understand its unique security needs. I have traveled to Israel many times during my tenure, have a special bond with Connecticut’s Jewish community, and I believe October 7th was the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Hamas cannot be allowed to govern Gaza, and the release of hostages must be a part of any ceasefire.”
At the same time, DeLauro addressed the broader issues.
“I am angry Republicans have used this address to score political points and stoke division,” she said. “And I am shocked by the ongoing Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, spearheaded by Prime Minister Netanyahu, that has been indifferent to the loss of Palestinian lives and settler violence. For these reasons, I will not attend the joint address.”
Instead, DeLauro met with family members of hostages in Israel as she called for an immediate ceasefire, a two-state solution, and a large increase in humanitarian aid to civilians who are suffering from a shortage of food, water, and medical care in Gaza.
Unlike DeLauro, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney decided to join his colleagues at the speech.
“My attendance at Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address is meant to show support for the nation of Israel—a longtime ally of the U.S. – and is not an endorsement of his ideas and actions,” Courtney said. “I join the throngs of critics both in the U.S. and Israel of the Prime Minister’s handling of the crisis in Gaza, beginning with the shocking security failure on October 7, 2023 which failed to protect innocent Israeli citizens.”
Following the attack, Courtney’s office worked closely with an Israeli family that has relatives in the Second Congressional district.
“Mrs. Liat Benin Atzili was released after 54 days in captivity because of the tenacious diplomacy of the Biden administration to secure her freedom,” he said.
Like other colleagues, U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford plans to attend the speech and expects to comment later.
A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Jim Himes of Greenwich said, “As a matter of principle, the Congressman attends speeches from foreign leaders whenever possible. However, he’s also been vocal that Netanyahu should be focused on finding a peaceful solution to the war in Gaza, not traveling to make political speeches.”
In his 2015 speech, Netanyahu warned the United States against affirming the Iran nuclear deal.
While living in Israel for years, Netanyahu grew up in Philadelphia and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1970s. He said the top university presidents at Harvard, Penn, “and I’m ashamed to say, my alma mater, MIT,” had not defended Israel.
Longtime Greenwich Republican fundraiser Leora Levy, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2022, was also attending as a guest of Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who is the son of former FBI director William Sessions.
“It is an honor to be present at this historic event, at such a critical moment for our two nations,” said Levy. “I am proud to attend to show support for America’s closest ally in the Middle East at this moment of peril for Israel and the Jewish people. … This visit by Prime Minister Netanyahu shows the importance of standing with Israel. It concerns me that our Vice President, who presides over the Senate, has chosen to skip this speech. Kamala Harris’s decision to turn her back on our democratic ally should disqualify her from the office of President and commander in chief.”
Harris is scheduled to have a private meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday at the White House before he travels Friday to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former President Donald Trump.
During his address that lasted nearly one hour and took place in the same spot as the State of the Union Address, Netanyahu said that America and Israel “must stand together” in the days and months ahead. He compared the October 7 invasion to the September 11, 2001 attacks against America and described Hamas fighters as “monsters” who took hostages and killed others. He introduced four Israeli soldiers who fought on the day of the attacks, including two who were severely injured.
“It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization,” Netanyahu said, thanking President Joe Biden for helping to release the hostages. “I will not rest until all of [the hostages’] loved ones are home – all of them. … Many anti-Israel protesters choose to stand with evil. … These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves. … These protesters burn the American flag, even on the Fourth of July. … Israel will always remain America’s indispensable ally. … Together, we will secure a brilliant future for both our nations.”
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.