Washington DC - Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders denounced the invitation extended to Benjamin Netanyahu to address the US Congress, which the Israeli prime minister accepted Saturday evening.

Netanyahu said he was "very moved to have the privilege of representing Israel before both Houses of Congress" for a fourth time – a record for a foreign head of state.

The statement came after House Speaker Mike Johnson extended an invitation that was also supporter by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as the top Democrats in both chambers, Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.

The move has caused outrage among those opposed to Israel brutal war on Gaza, which many experts, human rights organizations, and states have classed as genocidal.

Fun Fact of the Day Fun Fact of the Day for October 2, 2024: Discover surprising trivia!

While the International Court of Justice has ordered an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in the southern city of Rafah, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced he would seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as three leaders of the Palestinian Islamic group, Hamas.

Sanders is among the loudest voices in Congress to oppose Netanyahu, whom he called "a war criminal" in a post on X.

"He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend," the Independent senator continued, before listing well-documented horrors visited by Israel on Gaza since October 7, including killing "more than 34,000 civilians" and "creating the conditions for starvation and famine."

"The ICC is seeking warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas [in Gaza]. The ICC is right," Sanders wrote. "Both of these people are engaged in clear and outrageous violations of international law."