Hundreds of Jewish Protesters Against Arms Sales to Israel Gather in a Congressional Office Building

U.S. Capitol Police arrested a group of Jewish protesters opposing U.S. weapon sales to Israel inside a congressional office building on Tuesday, just one day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress. The protesters included several rabbis, students, American-Israeli citizens, and descendants of Holocaust survivors, and the demonstration was organized by a national Jewish organization called 'Jewish Voice for Peace,' according to the Washington Post. Sonia Mirson Nox, their spokesperson, stated that the group was 'shaken and concerned' about the meeting between American elected officials and Netanyahu. Hundreds of protesters inside the congressional office building in Washington chanted slogans such as 'Let Gaza Live' and 'Stop Genocide' while carrying banners in support of Palestinians. After about 20 minutes, Capitol Police - the federal agency responsible for protecting Congress - told the protesters to stop their demonstration inside the office building. While some protesters left voluntarily, many remained. About 10 minutes later, officers began to clear the area. Capitol Police wrote on social media platform X: 'Demonstrations inside the Capitol building are not allowed. We told individuals who entered legally to either stop [the demonstration] or they would be arrested. They did not stop, so we arrested them.' The Capitol Police did not provide details on the number of individuals arrested. This protest took place amid a critical moment in U.S.-Israel relations and ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip. Thousands are also expected to gather on Wednesday to protest Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress in Washington, calling for an end to the war. Many protesters on Tuesday indicated they would join the Wednesday demonstration but wanted to hold a separate protest focusing on Jews opposed to Netanyahu and Jews against arms sales to Israel. Protesters calling for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing war in Gaza have been demonstrating in Washington for months, in congressional halls, outside officials' homes, in front of the White House, and on some city streets. The Gaza war began with a terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 against southern Israel. The Iranian government and its leader Ali Khamenei welcomed that attack. Israel claims armed Palestinians killed about 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians. Israel has repeatedly stated that it seeks to destroy Hamas's organizational capabilities in Gaza and claims to have killed a large number of members of this militia group supported by the Islamic Republic and its ally 'Islamic Jihad.'