Trump Hosts ICC-Wanted Netanyahu for Eighth Time | Palestine Policy Roundup 7.28.26
Welcome to the Palestine Policy Roundup, a weekly publication of the IMEU Policy Project.
THE HUMAN COST OF WAR: BY THE NUMBERS:
🇵🇸 GAZA: 1,207 killed since the beginning of Trump's Gaza plan (Palestinian Ministry of Health); at least 3,795 Israeli violations of Trump's Gaza plan (Gaza Government Media Office); 73,329 killed during Israel's genocide (Palestinian Ministry of Health)
🇮🇷 IRAN: 3,468 killed (Iran Ministry of Health)
🇱🇧 LEBANON: 4,332 killed (Lebanon Ministry of Public Health)
🇮🇱 ISRAEL: 26 killed (Israel Ministry of Health)
🇺🇲 US: 18 service members killed (US Military)
🏛️ LEG UPDATES
Three new House Members cosponsored the Block the Bombs Act, bringing the total to 81 cosponsors. Thank you to Reps. Pat Ryan, Nellie Pou, and Jennifer McClellan.
⚖️ PRESIDENT TRUMP HOSTS ICC-WANTED NETANYAHU
Today, President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting at the White House for the eighth time during his second term—the most of any world leader.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY: President Trump will not order the arrest of Netanyahu despite the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant for his involvement in Israel's war crimes and violations of international law committed against Palestinians in Gaza.
As a signatory to the Genocide Convention and Geneva Conventions, the United States has legal obligations to prevent and hold accountable perpetrators of genocide and violators of international law—including Netanyahu.
This visit also comes on the heels of the administration's recently announced effort to dismantle the ICC, which Netanyahu welcomed—a move which further undermines US commitment to the international order.
WHAT'S NEXT? This visit also comes as the US continues its illegal war on Iran, which was instigated in part by Netanyahu during his most recent visit in February. During that trip, Netanyahu was allowed into the Situation Room to lobby President Trump into joining Israeli strikes on Iran.
During prior visits to the White House, President Trump has called for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza and sought buy-in from Netanyahu on his Gaza plan, which denies sovereignty to Palestinians.
📊 POLL: VOTERS OPPOSE SENDING MORE WEAPONS TO ISRAEL
A new poll by Data for Progress found that 58% of all voters support ending US-funded weapons to Israel, including 52% of Republicans—the first time a poll showed that a majority of Republican voters favor this position. This is clear evidence that voters increasingly disapprove of spending taxpayer dollars to support Israel's war crimes and atrocities with impunity.
CONGRESS CATCHING UP: This poll comes soon after more than 100 House Members voted in favor of Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment to strip $3.3 billion in FMF to Israel from the State Department appropriations bill.
✅ HOUSE APPROVES IRAN WPR AS COSTS OF WAR GROW
Last week, 214 House Members, including four Republicans, voted in favor of the Iran War Powers Resolution (WPR) led by Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Jason Crow. After nearly two weeks of continued bombing of Iran, the WPR offered an important rebuke of the Trump administration's continuation of the illegal war, which is in violation of previously passed WPRs.
AMERICAN CASUALTIES HIDDEN: This WPR vote came as the Trump administration removed four recently killed US servicemembers from the official death toll caused by the illegal war on Iran. 18 US service members have been killed during the war.
Nearly 100 US service members were injured during the renewed attacks on Iran before the July 17 strike that killed three servicemembers. The Department of War reportedly withheld this information prior to this fatal attack.
COSTS OF WAR: As the war continues, Americans continue to pay the price. According to Brown University, every US household has paid more than $570 extra on gas and diesel since the beginning of the war. That amounts to more than $75 billion total.
In addition to these indirect costs to Americans, the direct cost of the war, according to a June 23 analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is approximately $40 billion.
Meanwhile, the budget reconciliation resolution passed by the House last week provides a pathway for more than $70 billion of American taxpayer money to be used to fund the war.
🔥 ISRAELI SETTLERS RAMPAGE IN WEST BANK WITH MILITARY SUPPORT
Over the weekend, Israeli settlers launched several attacks on Palestinian towns in the West Bank as the Israeli military initiated a large-scale invasion of the area, making clear the link between settler attacks and military support in Israel's campaign of ethnic cleansing.
SETTLER ATTACK SPARKS RAMPAGE: Last Friday, dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes in Tal, a Palestinian town near Nablus. The settlers reportedly attempted to enter homes and shot a Palestinian who was defending the town.
Approximately a half hour later, the settlers returned with the support of Israeli soldiers who refused to stop their attack on a Palestinian man. The soldiers shot and killed four Palestinians who reportedly disarmed a settler. Two Israelis were also killed in the attack.
ISRAEL PURSUES ETHNIC CLEANSING: In response to this attack, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the forced displacement of Palestinians and the demolition of Palestinian homes in the areas where the attacks took place.
Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to legalize and establish more Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law, in the aftermath of these attacks.
MOSQUES VANDALIZED: Israeli settlers set fire to and spray painted racist graffiti on the al-Rahma Mosque in Qusra, another Palestinian town near Nablus. Violent settlers also targeted another mosque in Kur, a Palestinian town near Tulkarem.
Settlers also attacked several Palestinians and their homes across the West Bank. These attacks include arson of Palestinian-owned homes and the blocking of an ambulance transporting a patient.
Settlers have also reportedly set up several new outposts across the West Bank.
MILITARY INVASION: Instead of stopping the escalating settler attacks, the Israeli military has launched widespread invasions of at least 20 Palestinian cities and towns. The Israeli military also reportedly raided an UNRWA facility near Jerusalem.
The Israeli military also imposed checkpoints across Nablus that are reportedly impeding Palestinians' access to emergency medical services.
Israeli soldiers also reportedly occupied the home of a Palestinian American citizen in Turmus Ayya, where a large percentage of the community holds US citizenship.
👀 ICYMI: MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPEAK OUT
Rep. Rashida Tlaib: "I will vote NO on Trump's $1 TRILLION war funding bill. We must fund life, not death. Despite Americans demanding an end to genocide, this bill deeply merges the U.S. and Israeli militaries, fuels Trump's immoral war on Iran, and enriches billionaire arms dealers. Hell no."
Sen. Chris Van Hollen: "The State Dept insists their #1 duty abroad is to protect Americans. Yet, when it comes to getting justice for citizens killed or detained in the West Bank, there is no accountability. I will keep pushing the Trump admin, as I did the Biden admin, to get justice for these Americans."
Reps. Ilhan Omar and Mark Pocan: "Today, we voted NO on the National Defense Authorization Act because Congress cannot continue to write blank checks for endless wars...This bill also includes provisions that continue to fund and partner with Israel to develop weapons to further their campaign of terror. At a time when Americans are demanding an end to funding Netanyahu's genocidal regime, Congress should not be quietly deepening our military entanglement."
Rep. Jan Schakowsky: "Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has spent 18 months imprisoned without charge after caring for children in Gaza. Reports that he has been beaten and tortured are horrifying. He must be released immediately. International law must be upheld."
Rep. Ro Khanna: "The American president should arrest Netanyahu or Putin in accordance with international law. Full stop...If the ICC has an arrest warrant for someone, they should be arrested by America if they come into American jurisdiction. It's simple international law...You can't just kill women and children, have an ICC arrest warrant, and then walk into the United States of America and think nothing is going to happen to you."