California Democrat Says He Won’t Attend Netanyahu’s Congressional Address

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) informed NBC’s Peter Alexander that he did not plan to attend an upcoming congressional address from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Khanna joined Alexander, who was guest-hosting the network’s Sunday morning episode of “Meet the Press,” and complained about Netanyahu’s past treatment of former President Barack Obama: “He should not expect reciprocity.”

WATCH:

WATCH: As Israeli PM Netanyahu prepares to address a joint session of Congress, @RepRoKhanna (D-Calif.) says he “will not attend.”

“I’m not going to sit in a one-way lecture. … How he treated treated President Obama, he should not expect reciprocity.” pic.twitter.com/kvgiNwJPsm

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 16, 2024

“I will not attend,” Khanna told Alexander during Sunday’s broadcast. “I said that if he wants to come to speak to members of Congress about how to end the war and release hostages, I would be fine doing that, but I’m not going to sit in a one-way lecture.”

“And I agree with Representative Clyburn,” Khanna continued. “I mean, how he treated President Obama, he should not expect reciprocity. That said, I think it should be polite. We’re not going to make a big deal about it. He’s obviously addressing the Congress, and there has to be decorum.”

Khanna follows Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in announcing his plans to skip the address. Sanders took things a bit further, however, accusing Netanyahu of being responsible for the civilian deaths in Gaza despite the knowledge that Hamas terrorists routinely use the civilian population as human shields.

“What [Speaker Mike] Johnson is going to have to explain to the American people is why he thinks it’s OK to invite somebody to a joint session who is responsible for the deaths of some 38,000 Palestinians at this point, 60% of whom are women and children, elderly people,” Sanders said, citing casualty numbers provided but the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.