Statement on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Address to Congress

WASHINGTON DC – Human Rights First today called on President Biden and Congress to use the visit of Prime Minister Netanyahu to insist on access for humanitarian assistance in Gaza, adherence to international humanitarian law, and an end to the conflict.    

Prime Minister Netanyahu has called for the United States to ignore the human rights conditions that apply to all U.S. security assistance. But, U.S. security partnerships must be rooted in values, not personalities. He has asked the U.S. government to sanction the International Criminal Court, but survivors and advocates around the world depend on it for justice. His government has asked Congress not to resume funding to UNRWA, but it is the only body able to meet the humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza.

Helping Israel defend itself from brutal attacks does not require giving the prime minister a platform to amplify requests that counter U.S. law and international human rights standards. “With U.S. policies and weapons harming Palestinians on a massive scale, President Biden and Congress must make a course correction that leads to an end to human rights violations and prioritizes humanitarian assistance and accountability under international law,” said Human Rights First President and CEO Susan Hendrickson.

Human Rights First urges Congress to seek out the views of human rights defenders, humanitarians, released hostages and the families of those still held hostage, and the survivors of war crimes in Gaza and Israel.  Their experiences should offer a guide to a policy that ends this conflict and prioritizes the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis alike.