Press Releases

Washington, D.C – Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) released the following statement announcing she will not attend Netanyahu’s address to Congress and instead join families of the hostages taken in the October 7 attack for counter programming: 

“Netanyahu should not be welcomed here in the US Congress. He should be spending every waking moment working to bring the hostages home, securing a ceasefire, and ending this catastrophic war. His reckless decisions and deadly offensive since the horrifying attacks on October 7 have killed thousands of Palestinians and brought famine to over a million people in a devastated Gaza. His address before Congress will not further the goals of peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, but rather will serve as a distraction from the Prime Minister's failure of leadership. 

“His own people are deeply disturbed by the actions of their Prime Minister, with 72% of Israelis in favor of his resignation. I stand with Israelis in stressing that Netanyahu's leadership has not brought peace and security. Instead, it has greatly reduced the chance of ever achieving a two-state solution. The United States must use all its leverage to bring an end to this war and find a political solution that serves all Israelis and Palestinians.

“I vehemently object to giving the prime minister a platform in the U.S. Congress when his failed leadership has brought so much death and destruction to Palestinians and Israelis.”

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