The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest civil rights and advocacy organization, is calling on all community members, allies and advocates for justice and human rights to thank those members of Congress who demonstrated integrity by refusing to attend war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu’s address on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, war criminal Netanyahu addressed Congress and received standing ovations from those who did attend. During Netanyahu’s address to lawmakers, he offered misinformation and lies about Israel’s genocide in Gaza, where some 40,000 people, mostly women and children, have been slaughtered by Israel.
About half of the Democrats in the House and Senate chose to boycott Netanyahu’s address to the joint session of Congress. Vice President Kamala Harris also skipped the address.
Yesterday, CAIR condemned lawmakers who applauded Netanyahu’s “racist, delusional, genocidal” address to Congress.
Representatives and Senators who attended the Speech
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Sen. Ben Cardin (D- MD) Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA), Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, SC), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Sen. Marco Rubio(R-FL) Sen. Rick Scott(R-FL) and many more.
Representatives and Senators that boycotted the Speech
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Becca Balint (D-VT), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Brian Schatz (D-HI). Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Patty Murray (D- WA), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D, CA) Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) Rep. Maxwell Frost(D-FL) Sen. Chris Van Hollen(D-MD) Rep. Don Beyer(D-VA) Rep. Greg Casar(D-TX) Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA)
Sample message 1
I want to applaud you for skipping Benjamin Netanyahu’s racist, dishonest, warmongering speech this week. Your principled decision sent a clear message against a leader who has committed severe human rights violations and atrocities in Gaza.
By not lending your presence to a war criminal, you have shown true leadership and unwavering commitment to justice and human rights. Your refusal to allow Netanyahu, who has inflicted unimaginable suffering on innocent Palestinians and even Israelis, to use you as a political prop was the right decision.
Thank you for standing on the side of humanity and for rejecting the normalization of a war criminal’s actions. Your courage and integrity are deeply appreciated.
Sample message 2
I am writing to express my profound disappointment with your decision to attend Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent speech before Congress.
By showing up for Netanyahu’s predictably racist, dishonest and warmongering speech, you signaled support for a war criminal responsible for severe human rights violations and atrocities against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Netanyahu has used your attendance and applause as a signal of support for his genocidal campaign of slaughter and starvation. Many Americans will not forget the sight of their elected officials embracing a war criminal.
We urge you to reconsider your stance and realign your actions with the values of justice, human rights, and dignity. You can start by condemning Netanyahu’s remarks and publicly demanding a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and political prisoners, and an end to U.S. financial support for the illegal occupation of Palestinian land that has sparked decades of violent conflict.
The lives of countless Palestinians and Israelis depend on new leadership who are willing to stand against oppression, not those who enable it.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com