Bernie Sanders says it’s wrong to ‘honor’ Netanyahu with a speech to Congress

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Tuesday that he thought it was inappropriate for lawmakers to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress, and reiterated his plans to skip any speech the leader might make in Washington keep boycotting.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced the invitation late last month, which was signed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

But Sanders told NBC’s Chris Hayes that despite the bipartisan invitation, he believed there had been “very little discussion” within the Democratic party about whether a speech was a good idea.

“I think I speak not only for myself, but for a number of other senators who think this decision is a very, very bad decision,” Sanders said. “You do not honor a foreign leader by addressing a joint session of Congress currently involved in the worst humanitarian disaster in this country’s modern history.”

“It is clear that, as we all know, Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas terrorism and the terrible attack of October 7, but what it does now will [be] war against the entire Palestinian people.”

“What we are seeing now is starvation and famine affecting thousands and thousands of children,” he continued. “The architect of that policy is not someone you honor by bringing to the United States Congress.”

Other Democrats have done so expressed their concerns with a joint speech from Congress. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the House majority whip, said he was concerned that Netanyahu’s visit would be “politically divisive” and said he would have preferred to see an invitation put on hold until Israel agreed to an two-state solution.

President Joe Biden has been working on this mediate a ceasefire agreement between Netanyahu’s government and Israel. But the president recently said that in an interview there was “every reason” to believe the Israeli leader extended the war to stay in power.

Sanders has vowed to boycott the speech and has rejected Johnson’s claims that he was supporting terrorists by expressing his opposition to the Israeli leader.

“It’s a disgusting lie,” the Vermont lawmaker said. “I think if you’re part of the MAGA group, right-wing Republicans, you’re telling big lies. You say lies over and over again and you hope people believe them.”