Protesters against war in Gaza interrupt Blinken repeatedly in the Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — In wide-ranging testimony before the Senate Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the chief prosecutor of the world’s top war crimes court for seeking the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said that despite offering condolences for the death of Iran’s president, it didn’t change that leader’s history of repression.

Blinken, speaking to senators about the Biden administration’s foreign affairs budget proposal, was repeatedly interrupted by protesters condemning U.S. policy toward its ally Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza.

The chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Appropriations committees halted the hearings at least six times while Blinken was delivering his opening statements as demonstrators stood up to shout their opposition to the administration’s position and accused him of being a “war criminal” and being responsible for a “genocide” against the Palestinian people.

Several silent protesters held up their hands, stained with red paint or dye, behind Blinken during his appearances.

In his remarks and his responses to questions from senators, Blinken followed President Joe Biden and other administration officials in condemning the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over actions taken during their seven-month war in Gaza.

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