WASHINGTON ― As he flew into the United States to watch the speech Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intended to give to U.S. lawmakers, Zahiro Shahar Mor was determined not to disrespect America.
Mor’s 79-year-old uncle, Abraham Munder, was among the hundreds of people captured by Palestinian militants during the attack launched by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Mor is an active member of the movement of relatives of the hostages taken that day, pushing to keep the focus on bringing them home amid broader debates over Israel’s response.
Mor, an Israeli citizen, said he sees the U.S. as the “greatest hope” for the release of his uncle. But as he watched Netanyahu on Wednesday deliver remarks to a joint session of Congress ― from his place in one of the galleries for guests, a seat he got via an invitation from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) ― Mor couldn’t help himself. During one of the multiple standing ovations Netanyahu received, Mor stood up and yelled into the House of Representatives chamber three times: “1,400 deaths!”
It was a reference to the initial Israeli estimate of deaths on Oct. 7., which has since been revised to around 1,200.
“It was on [Netanyahu’s] watch,” Mor told HuffPost, that people like his cousin, Munder’s son, were slaughtered.
“It’s mind-boggling” to see U.S. legislators applaud Netanyahu, he added, in his first interview since his arrest. “I know half of the people don’t believe a word he says, but still there’s this equation ― that we must fight ― that if you criticize Netanyahu, then you’re helping the antisemites.”
“I think it’s bullshit: You have to oppose Netanyahu,” Mor continued. “It’s not that you’re an antisemite — you’re truthful.”
Mor said he was approached by an usher after his third outburst, then arrested by U.S. Capitol Police and brought to a holding area, before being driven to a police station. He and five other relatives of Israeli hostages ― who also attended the speech, and during it, unveiled protest T-shirts ― have been charged under a statute in District of Columbia law that makes it illegal “knowingly, with force and violence, to enter or to remain upon the floor of either House of the Congress,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Capitol Police, Brianna Burch, told HuffPost.
The five others issued a joint statement earlier Wednesday evening, stating: “Some of us wore a T-shirt calling on our Prime Minister to finally seal that deal, because this is his responsibility. And for that perceived offense, we were removed from the visitors’ gallery. No matter what, we will continue to fight for those who cannot: our family members being held captive in Gaza.”
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had threatened people who disrupted the Netanyahu speech with prosecution.
Relatives of those taken hostage have for months criticized Netanyahu for continuing fighting in the Gaza Strip ― Hamas’ base ― rather than cutting a cease-fire deal to let the captives come home.
In November, the U.S. helped orchestrate a brief truce and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, freeing dozens of hostages, including Mor’s aunt, cousin and nephew. Mor believes President Joe Biden’s help was “instrumental” in their release. Netanyahu’s government argues it is still prioritizing the freedom of the hostages, including through military raids to free specific groups of them.
Mor isn’t sure what to do now, he said: He’s been given a court date for Aug. 14 but he is scheduled to head back to Israel on Aug. 2.
He said it was “ludicrous” that he was arrested during the speech and wants to shift the focus back to Netanyahu. The prime minister brought the families of several hostages to Washington with him, a choice Mor described as “monstrous.”
“Only an extremely cynical person could even think about doing such a thing,” Mor told HuffPost.
Omar issued a statement on Mor’s arrest Wednesday night, saying: “He could not stand to listen to his harmful rhetoric. As a family member of an Israeli hostage, he has experienced the agonizing pain of Netanyahu’s failure to bring the hostages home and inability to make a deal. His bravery to call out Netanyahu’s genocide mirrors the sentiment shared by millions of Americans who want to see a permanent ceasefire and an end to this genocide funded by our tax dollars.”
For now, Mor is determined to keep the focus on Netanyahu and to undercut the prime minister’s attempt to project the impression that he’s respected abroad, especially by the U.S., Israel’s closest ally.
“He’s not answering the people he’s responsible for. He sees himself as an American statesman and we can see the result: It’s a complete betrayal of his own citizens,” Mor argued.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Biden on Thursday to discuss ongoing U.S.-directed attempts to reach a new deal for a cease-fire and hostages’ release.