In a scathing rebuke, a group of distinguished Israelis has condemned the US Congress's invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session on July 24. The critics, spanning various sectors of Israeli society, argue that this gesture rewards Netanyahu's "scandalous and destructive conduct" towards Israel, in The New York Times opinion piece on Tuesday.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities David Harel, former director of Mossad Tamir Pardo, Talia Sasson, a former director of the special tasks department in Israel's State Attorney's Office, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Aaron Ciechanover, and novelist David Grossman contributed to the article.
The authors, who hail from various sectors of Israeli society, including science, technology, politics, defense, law, and culture, contend that Netanyahu's government is "driving Israel downhill at an alarming speed" and that the country may eventually be lost as a result. They contend that Netanyahu's government is rapidly driving Israel towards ruin, citing his failure to end the Gaza war and secure hostage releases as prime examples of his ineffectiveness.
"Inviting Netanyahu will reward his contempt for US efforts to establish a peace plan, allow more aid to the beleaguered people of Gaza, and do a better job of sparing civilians," the authors write in The New York Times. They argue that the invitation should have been contingent upon resolving these issues and calling for new elections in Israel.
The critics also accuse Netanyahu of repeatedly rejecting President Biden's plan to remove Hamas from power in Gaza through the establishment of a peacekeeping force, a move they believe could lead to a broader regional alliance and a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They assert that such an outcome is not only in Israel's interest but also in the interest of both political parties in the United States.
Furthermore, the authors contend that Netanyahu has failed to take responsibility for the blunders that allowed the Hamas assault, initially blaming security chiefs before quickly backtracking. They call for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, headed by a Supreme Court judge, to investigate the fiasco.
The opinion piece also highlights the ongoing nationwide demonstrations in Israel, with participants demanding an immediate release of the hostages, an end to the war, and immediate elections. Polls cited by the authors indicate that a majority of Israelis support these demands, reflecting a growing loss of faith in Netanyahu's government.
"Giving Netanyahu the stage in Washington will all but dismiss the rage and pain of his people, as expressed in the demonstrations throughout the country," the authors write, urging American lawmakers to reconsider the invitation and ask the prime minister to stay home.
