Protesters gather outside Amy Klobuchar's Minneapolis office in response to Netanyahu's speech
MINNEAPOLIS — Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the street outside Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar's office in downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday to protest to arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Free Palestine Coalition organized the protest in response to Netanyahu.'s speech before Congress earlier in the day, which Klobuchar attended.
The protesters are calling for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas War, as well as the end of all U.S. federal, state and local aid to Israel.
State troopers were seen blocking the entrance ramps off Washington Avenue to Interstate 35W to prevent demonstrators from getting on the roadway.
Netanyahu's visit comes after months of growing tension with Washington over how Israel has conducted its offensive in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 terrorist attack, which killed about 1,200 people. About 240 people were taken as hostages.
Israel's response has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.
The Republican leadership of the House of Representatives organized Netanyahu's visit, which comes days after the International Court of Justice in The Hague issued an opinion calling Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal.
Nearly 50 members of Congress did not attend the speech, including Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
In a statement about the speech, Omar wrote, "It is utterly immoral and cruel to the millions of lives impacted by his catastrophic actions to platform him, let alone give him the honor of addressing Congress."
On Tuesday, 15 former Israeli military, police, intelligence, business and public sector officials penned a joint letter to U.S. congressional leaders on Tuesday warning that Netanyahu's Washington "visit prioritizes his personal political survivability over our shared interests."
Other critics say Netanyahu is making a political trip when he should be focused on bringing the hostages home.
During his trip, Netanyahu will also meet with President Biden at the White House, and he's also expected to meet Vice President Kamala Harris while he's in Washington, according to a White House official.
