Palestinian Attorney Noura Erakat: The U.S. Is Normalizing Apartheid by Hosting Israel's President

[Uncle Joe]

As President Biden meets with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House today, several progressive Democrats have announced plans to boycott Herzog's address to a joint session of Congress. This comes after Biden invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the United States this year despite recently criticizing the makeup of Netanyahu's far-right Cabinet as "one of the most extremist" he has seen. The visits from Israeli leadership are an attempt to "normalize apartheid," says Palestinian human rights attorney Noura Erakat, who compares today's U.S. support of Israel to the nation's support for South African apartheid. "The United States is complicit and a pillar of Israeli apartheid in its provision of unequivocal financial, diplomatic and military support." Erakat applauds the efforts of activists and politicians who have shifted Democrats' sympathies more toward Palestine than Israel, according to a recent Gallup poll.

[sabbat hunter]

1. I see no reason

why Biden shouldn't meet with Herzog. First off Herzog is a figurehead, with little real power. But he is the head of state and could exert pressure on Bibi behind the scenes, even without any real power. Second, US presidents have met with hostile foreign leaders, like the premiers of Russia during the height of the cold war, meeting with various leaders of China over the years, from Mao, thru Xi. Presidents have met with presidents, and kings of countries in the middle east, all of whom were dictators, and were killing their own people.

[Uncle Joe]

2. I agree, I see no reason as to why

the President shouldn't meet with him.