FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2024
Contact: Matthew Handverger, (508) 561-5226

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) released the following statement announcing why he will not be attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Joint Address to Congress: 

“For nearly 10 months, Netanyahu has waged a deadly and excessive response that has targeted Gazan civilians. It is wildly inappropriate to give the distinct honor of addressing Congress to a man who has violated international human rights law so severely that an arrest warrant for war crimes has been recommended by the International Criminal Court. I regret that one has not been issued yet, as I would have gladly served it to him on the House floor. Additionally, he’s failed to rescue or secure the release of the more than 100 of his citizens who remain hostages of Hamas, while ignoring the pleas of their family members to bring them home. It’s time for Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire now and get the hostages back.” 

As a member of Congress, Rep. Pocan is entitled to invite a guest to attend the speech. He has chosen Maya Roman, a cousin of Yarden Roman, who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, and released after 54 days.