Road Closures, Protests Greet Netanyahu Visit to Capitol

WASHINGTON — Good luck if you’re planning to travel in the vicinity of Capitol Hill Wednesday, as widespread road closures and protests are expected to coincide with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance before a joint meeting of Congress later today.

Lawmakers have been warned that as many as 10,000 protesters could be on the Hill today, and at least 200 were arrested after briefly occupying the Cannon Building rotunda last night.

By early morning yesterday, 8-foot-high riot fencing already encircled the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, and sections of shorter metal fencing and concrete barricades stood ready to be pressed into service as barricades.

A larger security perimeter extends from the National Mall to the Library of Congress.

The U.S. Capitol Police also announced that several roads around the Capitol will be closed to traffic Wednesday morning and will remain so through this afternoon.

Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive at the Capitol around noon and participate in a photo op with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at about 12:45 p.m.

Both men are expected to make brief remarks, and then move on to a meeting and photo op with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies, D-N.Y., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

The interplay between Netanyahu and Schumer is expected to be especially closely watched.

In March, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in U.S. history, called on Israelis to replace the prime minister, calling him an obstacle to peace.

Netanyahu’s speech before the joint meeting of Congress is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Over the past several days a number of news organizations have wrongly reported that the prime minister will be addressing a joint “session” of Congress.

Though similar in some respects, from a parliamentary perspective they are quite different.

A joint meeting is when the House and Senate assemble together (after each body adopts a unanimous consent agreement to recess) to hear a speech by a dignitary.

A joint session is more formal (requiring each body to adopt a concurrent resolution) and applies to just two occasions — when the president of the United States travels to Capitol Hill to give a speech, and when the two chambers meet to count and certify the electoral votes for president and vice president.

Coincidentally, while in recent days several Republican lawmakers have criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for skipping the event to attend a previously scheduled campaign event, there is no “rule” requiring her attendance.

According to the U.S. Constitution, the only time the vice president must attend a joint session of Congress is when, in their role as president of the Senate, they must be on hand to certify the electoral college votes.

Instead, viewers who tune in for Netanyahu’s remarks will see Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who is retiring this year, seated on the dais behind Netanyahu during the speech.

Ordinarily, the Senate’s president pro tem — currently Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. — would fill in for Harris, but she is one of dozens of Democrats not attending the Israeli leader’s speech in protest of Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

The Democrats and many others blame Netanyahu’s execution of the war for tens of thousands of civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis.

There is no estimate of how many Republicans might not be in attendance, but one high profile absence will be Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, who has “duties to fulfill as the Republican nominee for vice president,” according to a campaign spokesperson.

Netanyahu will reportedly meet with Harris at the White House ahead of his bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden Thursday afternoon. He and Biden are then scheduled to meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas. 

On Friday, the Israeli prime minister will travel to Palm Beach, Florida, to meet with former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home.

Getting back to Wednesday’s events, scores of police officers from New York City and other communities have been bused into Washington to help with security and crowd control.

The word from the authorities is don’t travel to Capitol Hill at all on Wednesday “unless you absolutely must be in the area.”

Protests were expected to start in earnest at around 11 a.m. when demonstrators are scheduled to begin a “Shut It Down 4 Palestine” rally.

There will also be a prayer vigil outside Union Station near the Capitol, and relatives of Israeli hostages are planning a vigil on the National Mall.

Road Closures

The following roads will be closed from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, through the Prime Minister’s visit:

Pennsylvania Avenue between First Street, NW, and 3rd Street, NW

Maryland Avenue between First Street, SW, and 3rd Street, SW

First Street between Constitution Avenue, NW, and Independence Avenue, SW

The following roads will be closed from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, through the Prime Minister’s visit:

First Street between Constitution Avenue, NE, and Independence Avenue, SE

East Capitol Street between First Street and 2nd Street

The following roads will be closed from 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, through the Prime Minister’s visit:

Constitution Avenue between 3rd Street, NW and 2nd Street, NE

First Street between Constitution Avenue, NW and Louisiana Avenue, NW

First Street between the Rayburn House Office Building Garage entrance and Independence Avenue, SW

Maryland Avenue between First Street, NE and Constitution Avenue, NE

New Jersey Avenue between C Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW

The following road will be closed from 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, through the Prime Minister’s visit:

Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue, SW and 2nd Street, SE

Tour Buses Rerouting

All tour buses will be rerouted to Union Station until Thursday, July 25, at 6:00 a.m.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue