Washington: The US Congressional Progressive Caucus has added Democratic Representative Cori Bush as the newest member to join the boycott of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's upcoming speech.
Bush posted on Twitter on Friday that "the Israeli government is accountable for enforcing an apartheid state and rampantly abusing the rights of Palestinians." Congress, she insisted, "should not be giving a platform to the President of a country that shows no respect for human rights."
In honour of Israel's 75th anniversary, Herzog will visit the White House on July 18 and speak before Congress the following day. The leadership of Congress sent a formal invitation to the Israeli president last year.
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Representative Ilhan Omar was the first member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) to criticise Herzog's speech. The congresswoman tweeted on Wednesday, "There is no way in hell I am attending."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, fellow CPC members, joined Omar in his boycott.
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Members of the CPC frequently criticise Israel's actions and have spoken on the House floor about the rights of Palestinians. Omar and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib were denied entry to Israel in 2019. Entry would be refused to "those who reject our right to exist in the world," according to Tzipi Hotovely, Israel's deputy foreign minister at the time.
Republicans as well as some Democrats objected to the choice to ignore Herzog. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Speaker, charged CPC members with anti-Semitism, while Illinois Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider criticised Omar for "making the wrong choice."
"President Herzog would be the person if there's anyone worth listening to in a place she claims to have an interest in advancing human rights, possibilities for peace," Schneider said.
Democratic New Yorker and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries predicted "an incredibly robust turnout" on July 19 and said he was looking forward to welcoming Herzog "with open arms."
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Under US President Joe Biden, as opposed to his predecessor, Donald Trump, a steadfast supporter of Israel on the international stage, relations between the two nations have not been as cordial. The State Department stated last month that it was "deeply troubled" by Israel's proposal to permit the construction of more than 4,000 settler homes in the West Bank.