Kamala Harris declines to preside over Netanyahu's Congressional address
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Getty Images)
US Vice President Kamala Harris refused to preside over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress this Wednesday, according to CNN and Politico.
The channel obtained this information from a knowledgeable source.
Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray also declined to preside, her spokesperson said.
Politico, citing an unnamed Harris aide, writes that she will not attend Netanyahu's address to Congress but will hold a separate bilateral meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister this week at the White House.
Harris had planned to attend the Zeta Phi Beta sorority event in Indianapolis before the date of the Israeli Prime Minister's speech was set. This allows her to avoid the question of whether to attend the address, which is a political challenge for many Democrats who oppose how Israel is conducting the war in Gaza.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington to address the US Congress and meet with President Joe Biden. According to AP, Netanyahu was also supposed to meet with Harris.
Biden and Netanyahu will discuss a peace plan for the Gaza Strip. The main topic of dialogue will be the release of hostages and an agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
New peace plan
Recently, Hamas gave its initial approval to a US-backed proposal for a phased ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The group abandoned its key demand that Israel completely stop the war.
Due to Israel's unwillingness to cease hostilities until the entire Hamas leadership is eliminated, the first peace plan failed.
