Protest erupts in Washington over Netanyahu visit
WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington has sparked a fresh wave of protests, with demonstrators taking to the streets to oppose U.S. support for Israel and demand that the Israeli leader be arrested.
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in the U.S. capital carrying Palestinian flags and banners criticising Washington’s backing of Israel. The demonstrations came as Netanyahu arrived in the United States for a scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump.
At the heart of the protest was a demand that U.S. authorities enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Demonstrators argued that the United States should not provide protection to an Israeli leader facing allegations before the international court.
The protest reflects the wider political and public debate in the United States over Washington’s relationship with Israel and its approach to the conflict in Gaza.
Trump rules out Netanyahu arrest
The demonstrations gained additional attention because Trump has already made his position clear.
The U.S. president has said Netanyahu will not be arrested while he is in the United States, directly rejecting calls for his detention. Trump has also strongly defended Israel and Netanyahu in connection with the ongoing regional conflict.
Netanyahu’s visit comes at a particularly sensitive moment. His meeting with Trump on Tuesday is the first between the two leaders since their joint war against Iran, with tensions reportedly emerging over how the conflict should be handled.
Protest adds pressure ahead of Trump meeting
The Washington demonstration adds another layer of political pressure surrounding Netanyahu’s visit. Protesters say U.S. support for Israel should be reconsidered and that international legal proceedings should not be ignored.
The issue of Netanyahu’s potential arrest has also become prominent in U.S. politics. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said his administration is examining whether the city could enforce the ICC warrant if Netanyahu visits New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
For now, however, Trump’s administration has made clear that Netanyahu will not face arrest during his stay in the United States.
With protests continuing and the Trump-Netanyahu meeting attracting international attention, the visit is likely to keep the debate over Gaza, U.S.-Israel relations and international accountability firmly in the spotlight.