Many Democrats Are Skipping Israeli Prime Minister’s Speech to Congress, Including Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi

At least 30 Democratic lawmakers and one Republican will not be attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, July 24.

According to The Guardian, the people skipping the speech include Senate President Kamala Harris, Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.

Massie called Netanyahu's speech an act of "political theater" in a post that explained his decision on X: "The purpose of having Netanyahu address Congress is to bolster his political standing in Israel and to quell int’l opposition to his war. I don’t feel like being a prop so I won’t be attending."

NBC News' Doug Adams shared that some lawmakers are boycotting the speech entirely, some will listen from their offices and others will attend counter-programming events.

Pelosi's spokesperson told Axios that, while she won't attend the speech, she will "join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings."

Netanyahu’s address is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET. He will be met with large crowds of pro-Palestinian protestors as he arrives to the Capitol.

“In my speech, I will emphasize the importance of bipartisan support for Israel,”  Netanyahu said before traveling to the U.S. for his visit, according to NBC News. “I will address our friends on both sides of the map and tell them that regardless of who will be chosen to lead the American people after the presidential elections, Israel is the most important ally of the United States in the Middle East, an irreplaceable ally.”

"I think that in this time of war and uncertainty, it is of utmost importance that our enemies know that the U.S. and Israel stand together — today, tomorrow and forever,” he added.

While President Joe Biden, 81, has been criticized by some progressives for not pulling support from Israel amid its widespread attacks on Gaza, Harris, 59, has been more vocal in denouncing civilian deaths in the Palestinian territory.

Without openly defying Biden's approach to foreign relations, she has made a handful of pointed statements suggesting that Israel needs to be more thoughtful about how it defends itself, including saying in December that "international humanitarian law must be respected" and "too many Palestinians have been killed."

"What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating," she said during a separate speech in March. "The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to act."

Though Harris decided not to preside over Netanyahu's joint speech on Capitol Hill, she will still meet privately with Netanyahu this week, as will Biden and former President Donald Trump.

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Harris made history in November 2020 when she became the first woman, the first Black person, and the first person of South Asian descent to be elected vice president. She would make history again if she were to become the first female president of the United States.

Her emerging presidential campaign comes after Biden, 81, dropped out of the 2024 race on Sunday and offered his "full support and endorsement" for Harris to become the Democratic presidential nominee.