Dozens of Democrats including Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Capitol speech as pro-Gaza protesters flood D.C.

Nearly 100 Democrats are expected to skip Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at the Capitol amid tensions over the ongoing war with the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

The most notable absentees are Vice President Kamala Harris, who would have presided over the Senate but says she has a scheduling conflict, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the second-most powerful Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also plans to boycott the speech, calling the prime minister a “war criminal” for the bloody conflict that has left many dead in Gaza.

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is eradicated after the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, in which the terrorist raped women, murdered and beheaded children and took hundreds of Israelis, including several Americans, hostage.

Police estimate that around 10,000 protesters will descend on Capitol Hill today to call for an end to the “genocide” in Gaza and demand a ceasefire.

Due to security concerns and a reduced number of U.S. Capitol Police officers, more than 200 New York City Police Department officers were deployed to Washington, D.C.

A group of Republican senators lashed out at the vice president during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon for missing the joint speech, saying her alibi about her outstanding commitments was inappropriate.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called her absence “disgraceful” and said “she should be ashamed of herself.”

“She doesn’t have a lot of jobs as vice president,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) said at the rally, calling it a “shame” that Harris decided not to attend.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was more blunt, calling her absence “a slap in the face.”

A spokesperson for Pelosi said Wednesday that she would attend a “membership meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have been deeply affected by the October 7 Hamas terror attack and kidnappings.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) informed lawmakers that there would be “an increased police presence around the Capitol complex and in the House chamber.”

He also warned that he would have a “zero tolerance policy” for disruptions in the building.

“Should any disturbance occur, the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police will remove and arrest the offending patron(s) from the gallery,” Johnson said in a letter this week.

Netanyahu said his speech aims to “entrench the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel.”

More than 200 pro-Gaza protesters were arrested at the Cannon House Office Building on Tuesday.

Plans call for thousands more to march down the National Mall to the Capitol today, ahead of Netanyahu’s speech at 2 p.m. ET.

Stages and audio equipment are already set up for pro-Gaza speeches and demonstrations hours before his speech.

Dozens of ready-made signs with the message Netanyahu and Israel were placed at the main protest area and were intended to be picked up by participants.

As the crowd grew for the prime minister’s speech, those gathered just steps from the Capitol began chanting, “From the river to the sea” and “There is only one solution: the intifada revolution,” two common anti-Israel slogans.

Videos on social media even showed protesters lined up outside the local hotel where Netanyahu is staying, meaning the demonstrations against him have been going on for most of Wednesday.

The prime minister is expected to speak separately with President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris on Thursday.

He will also travel to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, on Friday.