I’m writing to urge you not to attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress on July 24.

Attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at this critical moment is not a gesture of support for Israel. A ceasefire agreement has yet to be reached and his presence at this moment undermines the efforts of countless individuals and organizations striving for the return of the hostages and for peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Families of hostages are in the streets, demanding a deal and protesting the government’s abandonment of their relatives. Their pleas highlight the desperation and urgency of the situation.

In March of this year, Majority Leader Schumer expressed concerns about Netanyahu's leadership, warning that he had “lost his way” and calling on Israel to hold new elections. Since then, the crisis has only worsened. Netanyahu remains an “obstacle to peace,” as he described him. The hostages remain in captivity, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated. The World Food Programme’s Palestine Director recently described the situation in Rafah as “horrific and apocalyptic.” According to a recent World Health Organization survey, more than four in five children “did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days” during which the survey was conducted.

The human toll is staggering. 116 hostages remain in Gaza. Over 38,000 Palestinians and 1,500 Israelis have lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands in Gaza and throughout Israel continue to be displaced from their homes. The suffering on both sides is immense and continues to grow each day that the conflict persists.

Now is the time to support President Biden and the international community’s efforts to reach a ceasefire by exerting pressure on both Hamas and Israeli leadership. This is a moment that requires bold leadership and a commitment to peace, not photo ops with a leader whose actions have contributed to the current impasse. Attending Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to Congress at this time is a mistake and undermines the efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

I’m writing to urge you not to attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress on July 24.

Attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at this critical moment is not a gesture of support for Israel. A ceasefire agreement has yet to be reached and his presence at this moment undermines the efforts of countless individuals and organizations striving for the return of the hostages and for peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Families of hostages are in the streets, demanding a deal and protesting the government’s abandonment of their relatives. Their pleas highlight the desperation and urgency of the situation.

In March of this year, Majority Leader Schumer expressed concerns about Netanyahu's leadership, warning that he had “lost his way” and calling on Israel to hold new elections. Since then, the crisis has only worsened. Netanyahu remains an “obstacle to peace,” as he described him. The hostages remain in captivity, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated. The World Food Programme’s Palestine Director recently described the situation in Rafah as “horrific and apocalyptic.” According to a recent World Health Organization survey, more than four in five children “did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days” during which the survey was conducted.

The human toll is staggering. 116 hostages remain in Gaza. Over 38,000 Palestinians and 1,500 Israelis have lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands in Gaza and throughout Israel continue to be displaced from their homes. The suffering on both sides is immense and continues to grow each day that the conflict persists.

Now is the time to support President Biden and the international community’s efforts to reach a ceasefire by exerting pressure on both Hamas and Israeli leadership. This is a moment that requires bold leadership and a commitment to peace, not photo ops with a leader whose actions have contributed to the current impasse. Attending Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to Congress at this time is a mistake and undermines the efforts to achieve a ceasefire.