The U.S. Capitol Police reported on Tuesday that approximately 200 people have been arrested while protesting around the Capitol against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit. Netanyahu is set to address Congress on Wednesday amid an ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 39,100 Palestinian deaths.
The Capitol Police stated on their X social media account that “about 200 individuals have been arrested under D.C. Code 22-1307 for Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.” They were gathered inside the Cannon House office building, where protests are illegal. Officers made the arrests after issuing orders for the demonstrators to leave, which were ignored.
Jewish Voice for Peace, the organization behind the protest, reported that around 400 American Jews, including more than a dozen rabbis, were detained while calling for an immediate arms embargo against Israel. Stefanie Fox, the executive director of the organization, expressed outrage at the situation, emphasizing the horrific impact of what she described as a genocide perpetrated by the Israeli government, financed and supported by the U.S. Congress and the Biden administration.
Fox stated, “For nine months, we’ve witnessed the Israeli government’s actions, and our president is preparing to meet with Netanyahu. Congress has honored him with an invitation to address them. Enough is enough. Biden and Congress must listen to the people: we need an arms embargo now to save lives.”
Netanyahu arrived in Washington the day before, where he is expected to speak before Congress and hold separate meetings with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump.
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