Photos: YouTube Screenshots
The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) will call upon the New Jersey congressional delegation to boycott a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the United States Congress which is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, July 24th. It is also calling upon Vice President Kamala Harris not to meet with him and to call for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza.
“The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) is calling upon all members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, of both the House and Senate, to boycott Netanyahu’s July 24th address to Congress,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated. “We demand that Vice President Kamala Harris not meet with Netanyahu. We demand she call for a permanent ceasefire in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. We also demand that she call for an end to military aid to Israel for the war.”
“Netanyahu is the butcher of Gaza. His hands and the hands of those who are part of his government are dripping with the blood of innocent civilians. He should not be given the honor of addressing our government. He should have never been invited in the first place,” he said. “Netanyahu is not the only one with bloody hands. There is blood on the hands of the Biden administration and every member of Congress, of the House and the Senate, who have supported and voted for U.S. military aid Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.”
More than a month ago POP had called upon the state’s congressional delegation not to attend the special session of Congress where Netanyahu will be speaking tomorrow. The group has issued public statements against the war since it began last October.
Hamm, who ran for U.S. Senate in the New Jersey Democratic Primary last month for the seat currently occupied by Senator Robert Menendez, will be speaking today at a protest at Senator Cory Booker’s office to demand he boycott Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.
Hamm was also the the only Senate candidate who urged people to vote uncommitted for president in the primary. More than 48,000 people voted uncommitted. New Jersey will have two uncommitted delegates at the Democratic Part convention next month.
The protest will take place Tuesday, July 23rd, 12 noon at One Gateway Center in Newark. The demonstration is sponsored by NJ Peace Action and co-sponsored many organizations including POP that want an end to the war.
“Netanyahu and the apartheid government of Israel has been carrying out a racist genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza. He and members of his cabinet have been accused of war crimes and human rights violations by the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations,” Hamm stated. “Under his leadership during the eight months since this war began on October 7thof last year Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including 14,500 children and 9,500 women, wounded more than 90,000, and displaced nearly 2,000,000 which is almost the entire population.”
Hamm said that Israel has bombed and destroyed 86,000 housing units and damaged 300,000 more. It has destroyed 32 hospitals, 100 universities and schools, 3 churches and 341 mosques, and 25,000 other buildings. “He has turned Gaza into an apocalyptic uninhabitable wasteland,” he said.
“He has ignored the calls for ceasefire and the calls not to bomb and invade civilian areas. He has blocked, hindered, and reduced the delivery of much needed humanitarian aid. He has weaponized hunger and disease, and has expanded the war by bombing other countries,” he added.
“Do you think by inviting him to address the Congress of the United States that it will cause him to change course? No, it will only embolden him to continue down the same murderous path. He will see this invitation as a reward and approval of the actions he has taken so far,” Hamm said. “And when he arrives what will he say to Congress and the world? He will say that this war of extermination is necessary in order to eliminate Hamas, and that Israel is justified in all that it has done, is doing, and will do. He will not tell us that the genocide will stop anytime soon, but that the war must continue and more Palestinians must die.”
“It is my fervent hope that some members of the House and Senate will have the courage to bring motions to the floor for a vote to rescind Netanyahu’s invitation. If these motions do not pass or don’t make it to the floor, I hope that as many representatives and senators as possible on both sides of the aisle will boycott his speech,” he said. “Rather than listening to a speech by Netanyahu what members of Congress should be doing is calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unfettered access for delivery of all humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages on both sides.”
“What Congress should do is put forth legislation to cut off U.S. military aid to Israel as long as it continues to commit genocide in Gaza. And the Biden administration should do the same through executive order immediately. After this is done I think Netanyahu will take the U.S seriously,” Hamm said.
For more information contact the People’s Organization For Progress (POP) at 973 801-0001
