Texas Democrats Boycott Netanyahu’s Address to Congress Over Gaza Conflict

Several Texas Democrats boycott Israeli Prime Minister’s address to Congress

WASHINGTON — A number of Texas Democrats were among the group of lawmakers who boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday, citing concerns over his handling of the conflict in Gaza.

U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Austin called for an end to “unconditional military aid to the Israeli government” and urged for an immediate cease-fire, the return of hostages, and a long-term peace agreement. He criticized Netanyahu for failing to safely return hostages and for the harm caused to Palestinians in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place near the U.S. Capitol during Netanyahu’s speech, with the Prime Minister defending Israel’s response to a recent Hamas terror attack and dismissing protesters as “useful idiots.”

Among the Texas Democrats who skipped the speech were Reps. Veronica Escobar of El Paso, Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, Lloyd Doggett of Austin, and Al Green of Houston. Those in attendance included Reps. Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen, Henry Cuellar of Laredo, Colin Allred of Dallas, Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, and Sylvia Garcia of Houston.

It was unclear whether Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas attended, as she did not respond to requests for comment.

Castro, who was isolating at home after testing positive for COVID-19, criticized Netanyahu for his handling of the conflict in Gaza, accusing him of prioritizing political survival over the rescue of hostages.

Doggett met with a woman who had family members kidnapped by Hamas and gave her a guest ticket to Netanyahu’s speech, while Green delivered a fiery speech condemning the destruction in Gaza and vowing not to support further aid to Israel.

Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn, both Republicans from Texas, criticized the Democrats who boycotted the joint session, with Cornyn expressing disappointment that Vice President Kamala Harris did not attend.

Overall, the boycott and attendance of the speech highlighted the deep divisions within Congress over U.S. policy towards Israel and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.