The number of Democrats in Congress planning to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's speech before Congress tomorrow has doubled in the past 24 hours. As of Monday evening, 55 60 Democrats will be skipping the speech. This number is being punctuated by announcements from both Senators Elizabeth Warren and Al Franken, the latter calling the event a "partisan spectacle" of which he wants no part:
"This has unfortunately become a partisan spectacle, both because of the impending Israeli election and because it was done without consulting the Administration. I’d be uncomfortable being part of an event that I don’t believe should be happening."
Franken, a staunch 'pro-Israel' politician, is now the sixth Jewish member of Congress to skip Netanyahu's speech; 20 percent of Jewish representatives will now be staying away.
This is notable, given that Netanyahu dangerously and arrogantly claimed that he will be speaking for "the entire Jewish people" when he attacks President Obama's Iran diplomacy before Congress. It's a claim which has angered many American Jews, including Senator Dianne Feinstein, who told CNN, "He doesn't speak for me." Indeed, 52 percent of American Jews support Obama's Iran diplomacy.
On the eve of Netanyahu's speech, nearly half of all Americans do not approve of what will transpire: a foreign leader attacking our President's policies before Congress. This surge in public opinion, coupled with John Boehner's secret invitation behind Obama's back, is giving members of Congress the cover they need to bow out.
With the speech set to take place Tuesday morning, don't be surprised to see a flurry of additional, last-minute announcements that more members will not be attending.
Perhaps such last-minute announcements will make it harder for GOP staffers to stuff the empty seats, as they plan to do, so as to give Netanyahu what he truly wants: standing ovations to use in campaign ads back home.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, recently published by Oneworld Publications.