Netanyahu will deliver his joint congressional address Wednesday around 2 p.m. EDT.
The speech will be under intense scrutiny from Democrats, who are looking for Netanyahu to make his case about ending the war in Gaza and bringing hostages home. Roughly 120 hostages are still in Hamas custody.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said the Israeli leader has “prioritized his political survival over the release of hostages” and caused widespread damage in Gaza, where more than 38,000 Palestinians have died in roughly 10 months of war.
“He should not have a platform before Congress,” Merkley said in a statement.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), among the most vocal critics of Netanyahu, called for a boycott of the speech.
“Netanyahu should not be welcomed into the United States Congress,” he said in a statement this week.
It’s not clear how many Democrats will boycott the speech, though most of the roughly 100 caucusing progressives in Congress are expected to protest the address in some way.
The last time Netanyahu gave a speech before Congress, some 60 Democrats boycotted the speech over concerns about the Israeli leader’s opposition to then-President Obama‘s Iran nuclear deal.
Vice President Harris, who President Biden has endorsed to be the 2024 presidential Democratic nominee after he stepped aside over the weekend, will notably not be attending the Netanyahu speech.
Harris has a previously scheduled event, though she will meet with Netanyahu separately from Biden this week, according to an aide to the vice president.
Netanyahu’s speech will come as the Biden administration indicates a ceasefire and hostage release deal is close.
The plan from Biden involves releasing vulnerable hostages first, withdrawing Israeli troops from populated areas of Gaza and maintaining a ceasefire so long as negotiations continue to end the war and bring the last hostages home.
But Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) said that Netanyahu remains an “obstacle to the peace that both Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve.”
“It is apparent Republican leadership have given this platform to the Prime Minister in order to sow division amongst Members of Congress during this precarious time,” he said in a statement.
