Prominent Israelis including ex-PM Barak to New York TImes: Don’t let Netanyahu address Congress

A group of prominent Israeli figures, including former prime minister Ehud Barak call on Washington to withdraw an invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress on July 24, in a New York Times opinion piece.

The article casts the invitation as a “terrible mistake,” warning the speech “will not represent the State of Israel and its citizens, and it will reward his scandalous and destructive conduct toward our country.”

While such an invitation would usually be welcomed as a sign of close ties with the United States, the group says such an invitation should have been dependent on a plan to end the war in Gaza, rescue the hostages, and fresh elections in Israel, tasks Netanyahu has failed to accomplish.

“Inviting Mr. Netanyahu will reward his contempt for US efforts to establish a peace plan, allow more aid to the beleaguered people of Gaza and do a better job of sparing civilians,” the article reads.

“Time and again, he has rejected [US] President Biden’s plan to remove Hamas from power in Gaza through the establishment of a peacekeeping force. Such a move would very likely bring in its wake a far broader regional alliance, including a vision to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is not only in Israel’s interest but also in the interest of both political parties in the United States. Mr. Netanyahu constitutes the main obstacle to these outcomes.”

The article slams Netanyahu for his “authoritarian remaking of Israel” and says the speech to Congress will allow the prime minister “to boast to his constituents about America’s so-called support for his failed policies.”

“His supporters in Israel will be emboldened by his appearance in Congress to insist that the war continue, which will further distance any deal to secure the release of the hostages, including several US citizens,” it adds.

“Giving Mr. Netanyahu the stage in Washington will all but dismiss the rage and pain of his people, as expressed in the demonstrations throughout the country. American lawmakers should not let that happen. They should ask Mr. Netanyahu to stay home.”

The piece is submitted by David Harel, the president of Israel’s Academy of Sciences and Humanities; Tamir Pardo, a former Mossad spy agency director; Talia Sasson, a former prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office; Ehud Barak, a former prime minister; Aaron Ciechanover, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2004; and writer David Grossman.