Yesterday, a group of U.S. Senators lined up for a photo-op with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…a man currently facing international arrest warrants for alleged war crimes. The International Criminal Court has formally issued a warrant for his arrest over his role in the ongoing devastation of Gaza.
And yet, our lawmakers smiled for the camera with someone the world is trying to hold accountable for mass suffering.
Who showed up for the worst photo of 2024?
Let’s name names. These are the Senators who saw no issue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a man that belongs in The Hague:
Ted Cruz (of course)
Adam Schiff
Jacky Rosen
Steve Daines
Amy Klobuchar
Bill Cassidy
John Thune
Jim Risch
Chuck Schumer
Maria Cantwell
Chris Coons
Cory Booker
Dave McCormick
Jon Husted
Why this matters (and no, it’s not just a “bad optics” thing):
International law isn’t optional. Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes. This isn’t about foreign policy disagreements, it’s about endorsing someone accused of violating the most basic rules of humanity.
They knew what they were doing. Every one of these Senators made a choice. A choice to ignore the thousands of dead, the starving children, the bombed hospitals, and the families buried under rubble to instead offer political cover to the man leading it.
It’s a betrayal. Not just of Palestinians but of every principle these lawmakers claim to stand for. Human rights, rule of law, justice? All set aside for a photo-op.
We deserve better.
This moment will follow them. And it should. Because when the world looks back on who stood up for human rights and who stood in front of cameras with a war criminal, we’ll remember exactly where these Senators were.
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