Palestinian Rashida Tlaib holds ‘war criminal’ sign during Netanyahu speech

Palestinian American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib held up a sign that read ‘war criminal’ during Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday.

The one-person protest in the chamber took place as thousands of others gathered outside the building to demonstrate against Netanyahu’s presence.

However, Netanyahu also received dozens of standing ovations from pro-Israeli Republican and Democratic Congresspeople.

The other side of Tlaib's sign read: “guilty of genocide” and she also donned a keffiyeh, which has over time come to symbolise Palestinian struggle and resilience.

Tlaib, a Michigan representative and progressive Democrat, has been shedding light on Israel’s brutal ongoing war on Gaza which has killed over 39,145 Palestinians and injured over 90,000 others so far.

Tlaib attended the address with Hani Almadhoun, a Palestinian who has lost over 150 family members since Israel launched its war on the besieged enclave in October.

During the speech, she was approached by a floor staffer twice, where she put the sign down each time.

Following the speech, Tlaib said in a social media post that Palestinians will "not be erased".

"I will bever back down in speaking truth to power," she said. "The apartheid government of Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. Palestinians will not be erased. Solidarity with all those outside of these walls in the streets protesting and exercising their right to dissent," she said.

Netanyahu’s visit has been condemned for weeks before it occurred, with many lawmakers, human rights defenders and former officials saying that he should not be invited to Capitol Hill amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

Dozens of Democratic members of Congress boycotted Netanyahu’s speech, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

According to Axios, around half of House and Senate Democrats skipped Netanyahu’s address, including Nancy Pelosi, Jim Clyburn and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Last week, US House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that any protests or interruptions during Netanyahu’s speech could potentially be met with arrests, and that the address would have increased police security.

Last month, a Biden administration official said Washington has sent around $6.5bn worth of security assistance to Israel since 7 October.