Activists opposed to the Israeli war on Gaza and the Biden administration's full support for Israel in this war, intend to organize protests in the US Capitol (Congress building) on Wednesday, coinciding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering a speech before a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Police expect a "large number of demonstrators" and are making additional security arrangements, but said there are no known threats, according to Reuters.

The White House said that US President Joe Biden expects to be able to meet Netanyahu on Tuesday, before he delivers his speech to the US Congress on July 24.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican from Louisiana), who receives significant financial and electoral support from the Israeli lobby organization the American Israel Public Affairs Committee - AIPAC, invited Netanyahu on May 23, following the International Criminal Court’s request to arrest Benjamin. Netanyahu two days earlier (May 21, 2023), sparking a controversy that is still raging, as more than 100 members of both chambers announced their intention to boycott Netanyahu’s speech.

A White House official said that Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Netanyahu while he is in Washington.

The United States has seen months of protests by pro-Palestinian groups and college students over American support for Israel amid its war on Gaza that has killed at least 38,983 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, while displacing its entire population of 2.3 million. Almost causing famine.

Biden recently supported talks for a ceasefire but has continued military support for Israel without stopping.

A coalition of groups are expected to participate in the protests, including ANSWER (an acronym for Action Now to Stop War and End Racism), the women-led peace and human rights group CodePink, Palestinian groups such as the Palestinian American Community Center and Amnesty International, and multiple Jewish groups. Including Jewish Voice for Peace.

According to Reuters, Code Pink told the agency that organizers had arranged buses for human rights defenders to come to Washington from several states across the country.

The US Capitol Police said: “We expect a large number of protesters to show up” and “our plan includes adding more officers, including from several outside security agencies.”

A leaflet on behalf of the demonstration urged the formation of a “popular red line around the Capitol” on Wednesday, where demonstrators will criticize the US government for not drawing a “red line” in support of Israel despite the war’s death toll.

About 230 anonymous Capitol Hill staffers from 122 offices signed a letter, published last week, urging their bosses to either protest or boycott the speech Netanyahu gave to Congress on July 24 for which the ICC Prosecutor’s Office recently requested an arrest warrant for crimes. war.

American protests since the outbreak of the war in Gaza have included marches, vigils, and the closure of bridges and roads near train stations and airports in multiple cities, in addition to camps on university campuses.