Maggots at the Watergate, furious interns on Capitol Hill: Netanyahu DC visit sparks protests

WASHINGTON ? Grey jersey barriers and tall black fences create a near military compound around the iconic Watergate hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is staying during his controversial visit to Washington.

But the barricades, patrolling officers on motorcycles and multiple security check points apparently didn’t keep protesters from releasing insects inside the hotel – previously associated with a different type of bugging – in advance of Netanyahu’s address to Congress Wednesday.

Referring elliptically to “the unfortunate incident” that has been publicized on social media, the hotel said Wednesday the property has been sanitized and authorities are handling the situation.

Congressional Republicans may have invited Netanyahu to address Congress as a show of support for Israel’s embattled leader.

But his visit has also drawn attention to the divisions created by Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, which has led to mass civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis.

“WANTED for crimes against humanity,” declared a poster with mugshot-like images of Netanyahu plastered to a lamp post across the street from the hotel.

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers refused to attend the speech.

A "diverse coalition" of more than 100 interns anonymously signed a letter denouncing Netanyahu's visit.

Capitol Police, on Tuesday, arrested about 200 demonstrators for “crowding, obstructing or incommoding” inside a House office building.

On Wednesday, police weren’t letting protesters get close to the Capitol. At nearby Union Station, some Palestinians flags were raised and American flags were removed. Protestors also tried to burn American flags, and an effigy of Netanyahu.

'Would we roll out the red carpet for Hitler?'

Rebekah Anderson, a 35-year-old registered nurse from Oregon came to Washington to march down Independence Avenue to show her outrage that someone she considers a war criminal was invited to address Congress.

“Would we roll out the red carpet for Hitler to shake hands and address our lawmakers?” said Anderson, who carried a sign calling the prime minister “NAZI-YAHU.” “He should be egged. He should be apprehended. He should not be allowed here.”

The red carpet was not rolled out for Netanyahu at Blair House, the historic home near the White House that often houses foreign guests.

Asked why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not staying there, a White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the “visit is not one of the categories that lets it be one of the Blair House uses.”

The last time it was used was for Kenyan Prime Minister William Ruto’s state visit in May. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kashida stayed there during his April state visit. In between those diplomatic events, the White House hosted the heads of states of Romania, Jordan, Czech Republic, and Iraq for working visits -- and none of them were offered Blair House, the official said.

Blair House stays usually are for state visits and “official working” visits. Netanyahu’s visit was categorized as just a “working” visit.

Shortly after the phone conversation with USA TODAY, the official emailed back to say the Blair House is undergoing long-planned renovations, and is “not able to accommodate any guests right now.”

Netanyahu is still receiving protection from the Secret Service, which wasn't responsible for securing the hotel conference room where maggots were released, according to the service's Public Safety Joint Information Center. Abel Trevino, a spokesperson for the center, told USA TODAY there was never any threat to Netanyahu.

'We drove him from the race'

President Joe Biden, who is meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday as well as with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas, has been dealing with the divisions in his party over Israel’s war in Gaza while trying to negotiate a cease-fire.

Demonstrators regularly interrupted his campaign events when he was running for re-election.

Ramon Mejia, an organizer with the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, said protests over the government’s military support for Israel helped convince Biden to step aside.

“We drove him from the race,” Mejia said when asked if demonstrations are making a difference.

He spoke as a group of more than 100 protesters – some waving Palestinian flags and others wearing black-and-white keffiyehs – chanted at an intersection about a mile from the Capitol.

“Say it loud and say it clear! Bibi is not welcome here!” they yelled.

Elsewhere in the city, a rally organized by the anti-war group ANSWER Coalition along with several partner groups, attracted a crowd that stretched for several blocks near the Capitol.

But William Wechsler, senior director of Atlantic Council's Middle East Programs, doubts the demonstrators will have much impact on Netanyahu’s visit.

“Indeed, in a city that routinely witnesses protests that number in the tens of thousands and sometimes far more, these protests are smaller than many anticipated,” he said. “The more significant protests are within the Capitol, where a number of members have declined to attend or felt compelled to offer public explanations about why they decided in the end to attend.”

Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, likewise said the demonstrations are more likely to be an inconvenience for local residents than to meaningfully impact Netanyahu’s visit.

“Netanyahu has faced months of protests at home, most prominently from families of those still held hostage by Hamas,” Panikoff said. “Now facing American ones is unlikely to affect his advocacy for current Israeli policies.”

Evelyn Farkas, who served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense in the Obama administration, said Netanyahu’s trip probably isn’t motivated by what’s best for Israel or for the U.S.-Israel relationship.

“True to form, he is currying favor with one party in the United States and frankly working to exacerbate the split between the two parties and perhaps to help former President Trump and his party politically,” said Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute.

For Syed Qamer, a structural engineer from Virginian who was born in Pakistan and joined Wednesday’s protests, it feels as if the world has given its approval for Israel to kill more Palestinians.

“It hurts,” Qamer said. “It hurts.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Netanyahu visit to U.S. hit with protest at the Watergate, Congress