Republicans slam Harris for opting out of Netanyahu address in favor of sorority speech: 'Shameful'

Republican lawmakers are criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris' decision to forego attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress, calling it "shameful," as she opts instead to deliver a speech at a women's convention.

Netanyahu will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday amid Israel's ongoing 292-day war with the terrorist group Hamas. Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, declined to preside over the address and will instead speak at the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.'s Grand Boulé in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called Harris' decision "inexcusable." 

"She will not be there because she refuses to attend," Johnson said at a GOP press briefing Tuesday. "She needs to be held accountable for that."

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"Kamala Harris is reportedly refusing to attend Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s address before Congress tomorrow. Disgraceful. She continues to show her antisemitism and contempt for the Jewish people," Sen. Marsha Blacburn, R-Tenn., wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. 

"Vice President Kamala Harris will not be attending the Joint Address by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. It is shameful that she is turning her back on one of our most important allies," Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., said.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said Harris' decision to skip the address was "to appease the Democrat Party’s radical antisemitic base."

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"Kamala Harris is President of the Senate. Her conduct and behavior matters, at home and abroad. Her decision to not attend tomorrow’s speech is petty politics, and shameful treatment of one of America’s strongest allies," Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-N.Y., said on X.

Neither Biden nor the vice president was present to greet Netanyahu when he arrived on Monday, according to published reports. Biden, notably, was in Delaware, still recovering from COVID-19. 

"Kamala Harris’ refusal to greet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the tarmac is reprehensible," Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, said in a statement. "Her plan to boycott his joint address to Congress is shameful. It’s clear that Harris sides with the woke antisemitic members of her party. Texas will always stand with Israel."

"Kamala Harris didn’t greet Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday when he landed. She’ll skip his joint address to Congress. And other Democrat senators are planning to skip it as well. Republicans stand with Israel. The Left doesn’t," Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, posted on X.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said Harris skipping the speech is "cowering to the radical left's antisemitism."

"It's been 291 days since Iran-back Hamas terrorists brutally attacked Israel and took so many hostages, including Americans," Scott said. "When @Netanyahu arrived yesterday, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris refused to meet him, once again turning their back on our friend and ally Israel. Then Harris doubled down on her disrespect of our ally by refusing to preside over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to a Joint Session of Congress."

Among the 120 hostages held by Hamas, eight are U.S. citizens.

An aide to the vice president told Fox News Digital that while she won't be present at the address, Harris will meet with Netanyahu at the White House sometime during his visit to Washington, D.C.

Fox News' Julia Johnson contributed to this report.