Israeli PM Netanyahu US Visit 'A Bad Omen,' Says Hamas Leader Ahead Of Congress Address

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington DC on invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson to address a joint session of the Congress amid the war in Gaza.

Taking notice of Netanyahu's visit, senior Hamas official Basem Naim has criticised Washington for hosting the Israeli leader. Netanyahu's visit comes after an arrest warrant for the Prime Minister was issued by the International Criminal Court.

The top criminal court has further accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity including genocide in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement condemning the visit, the Hamas leader wrote - “Enabling him from the highest platforms in the country to spread his lies, is a bad omen for you".

“Receiving a war criminal in direct contradiction to all your values of freedom, justice and dignity is the last stop in the series of lies and hypocrisy that you are practicing and sets a new stage that portends the demise of this greatest empire in human history.

“In our literature in the east, we say: ‘A regime of injustice lasts but an hour, while a regime of justice endures until the end of time.’ Countries that practice or support injustice are bound to disappear; it may not be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but it is an inevitable fate," the statement added further.

As per Naim, the correct way to proceed with Netanyahu in the US is to arrest him and hand him over to the ICC.

"Issue an immediate order to arrest the war criminal Netanyahu… in line with the decisions of international judicial institutions, the latest of which was the decision of the International Criminal Court. Our people will not forget and will not forgive anyone who wronged them or supported those who wronged them," Naim added.