Anti-Israel Protesters Burn American Flag, as Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Congress

While Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday was well-received by lawmakers, protests inside the House chamber and outside the Capitol building will likely dominate conversations about America’s relationship with Israel in the coming days. Mr. Netanyahu, hedging his bets, made sure to praise both President Biden and President Trump for their friendship despite the displays of disaffection. The ugliest protest took place at Union Station, just blocks from the United States Senate. Hundreds of protesters clashed with police as they tore down an American flag that was hanging on a pole high above the ground. They replaced that flag with a Palestinian flag and burned the American one that had been torn down. The same group then burned Mr. Netanyahu in effigy. A video of the event posted online shows anti-Israel demonstrators chanting, “Burn that sh–! Burn that sh–!” as one lit a flame and poured what looked like lighter fluid on the flag.Speaking to the joint session for an historic fourth time, Mr. Netanyahu took to the podium in the House chamber to raucous applause from the Republican side and a more muted, polite clapping from Democrats. Some members on the left side of the aisle sat and remained stone-faced as he made his way through the chamber. The prime minister, as he passed Senator Schumer — who has called for his ouster — gave little recognition to the majority leader, offering only a head nod.Inside, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib — the first and only Palestinian-American to serve in Congress — held up a sign that caught the attention of her colleagues and the press. On one side, it read, “War Criminal,” while the other side said, “Guilty of Genocide.”One of her Democratic colleagues, Congressman Jake Auchincloss, moved away from her once she unveiled the sign. A Republican, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, then went over to talk to her and told reporters after the address that it was “cordial.” Ms. Tlaib later concealed the sign. Many Democrats boycotted the speech altogether, which likely contributed to the calmer atmosphere in the House. Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Congresswoman Cori Bush — all members of the so-called “Squad” — did not attend the speech. Speaker Pelosi spent the day meeting with the families of hostages still being held at Gaza more than nine months after the October 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists. In the gallery, several individuals were arrested after they stood up wearing yellow shirts with messages that read, “Seal the Deal Now.” They were removed from the gallery in a matter of minutes. While Ms. Tlaib was the only House member to openly defy Mr. Netanyahu during his address, thousands gathered outside of the Capitol building to protest the premier’s presence in the chamber. Less than a mile from the Capitol on Constitution Avenue, a stage was erected by anti-Israel protesters to decry not only Mr. Netanyahu’s presence, but the actions of Congress and the Biden administration supporting him. “We demand liberation! End the Zionist occupation!” one speaker chanted. Another group of protesters walked around with a large puppet resembling Mr. Netanyahu with devil horns and covered in blood. Earlier in the day, protesters were seen marching up Independence Avenue chanting, “Long live the intifada,” “There is only one solution: intifada, revolution,” and “Globalize the intifada!”Protesters were seen trying to break through a barricade that had been set up by the Metropolitan Police Department, which led officers to deploy tear gas and pepper spray on the crowd. One protester — who was referring to the Israel Defense Forces as the “Israeli Occupation Force” — could be heard chanting: “IOF, KKK, MPD, They’re all the same!”One woman, whose face was shielded by a keffiyeh during the protests, is already going viral for carrying a Hamas flag around the demonstrations.

Anti-Israel Protesters Burn American Flag, as Prime Minister Netanyahu Addresses Congress

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