Appearing before a rare joint meeting of Congress, Netanyahu recounted in violent detail the atrocities committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, warned of the ongoing menace posed by Iran and other regional adversaries and urged American policymakers to unite behind Israel for the sake of eradicating those threats once and for all.
“For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together,” he said, thanking President Biden for “half a century of friendship to Israel.”
Netanyahu, positioning Israel as America’s strongest ally and defense in the Middle East, called for U.S. military support to continue and speed up — in opposition to Biden withholding some heavy weapons and the call of opponents and protesters to halt U.S. military assistance.
“I deeply appreciate America’s support, including in this current war, but this is an exceptional moment. Fast-tracking U.S. military aid can dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East,” he said.
The atmosphere surrounding Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, and his message, marked a departure from his last major address to Congress in 2015, when he lambasted the Obama administration over its efforts to forge a nuclear deal with Tehran.
But Netanyahu’s mere presence deepened already sharp divisions between Republicans and Democrats — and between Democrats themselves — over his far-right policy agenda and, more specifically, his handling of the war with Hamas in Gaza.
Those tensions were impossible to miss around Capitol Hill, as thousands of activists gathered on the National Mall to protest a figure they deem a war criminal; Vice President Harris, the Democrats’ likely presidential nominee, was noticeably absent on the dais behind Netanyahu, where she would typically stand to welcome foreign leaders.
And scores of Democrats — including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — boycotted the speech to denounce what they view as Netanyahu’s emboldening of an extremist far-right faction, fueling violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and thwarting a potential two-state solution.
Those critics view Netanyahu as responsible for a humanitarian catastrophe in pursuit of his goal to eliminate Hamas, with widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip and tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in the fighting.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
