Netanyahu Welcomed to Washington by a Ton of Maggots

Hafiz Rashid
·3 min read
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On the eve of his address to Congress Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got a rude experience during his stay at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Protesters left mealworms and maggots on banquet tables in the hotel, perhaps to bring awareness to maggot infestations afflicting wounded Palestinians in Israel’s brutal war in Gaza. They also set off fire alarms on multiple floors. Activists with the Palestinian Youth Movement and its Washington, D.C.-area chapter took credit for the disruption in a video posted to X and Instagram.

In a statement to The New Republic Wednesday afternoon, the hotel confirmed that an incident took place but refused to comment further because law enforcement is looking into the matter:

We are aware of the social media video circulating on multiple platforms involving The Watergate Hotel and the unfortunate incident that occurred at the property yesterday. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and staff. We took the necessary steps to ensure the property has been sanitized and is now operating as normal. We are cooperating fully with authorities, who are handling the situation. As this is an open case, we are unable to provide any further details at this time.

The effort was part of larger planned protests across the city against Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and address to Congress. On Tuesday, massive protests organized by Jewish Voice for Peace filled the Cannon House Office Building’s rotunda near the Capitol.

Netanyahu isn’t being given the red carpet treatment that he’s been used to on previous D.C. visits. President Joe Biden has pushed his meeting with the Israeli prime minister to Thursday after it was initially up in the air, and Vice President Kamala Harris skipped his congressional address, instead planning to meet with the Israeli prime minister privately. Netanayahu will be meeting with Trump on Friday at the convicted felon’s Mar-a-Lago estate, perhaps trading notes on their legal issues and attempts to control their countries’ judiciaries.

Israel’s brutal war has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 15,000 children. Netanyahu has ignored calls for a cease-fire, which contributed to Biden’s drop in popularity among young people and communities of color. On Tuesday, seven major labor unions joined forces to demand an end to weapons aid to Israel.

None of this affected Netanyahu’s address to Congress, or America’s policies toward his country and the atrocities it continues to wage as its leader is accused of war crimes. What ought to happen is not a protest of insects and maggots but lawmakers standing up to Israel and ending weapons shipments to the country.