(Headline USA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and pushed back on protesters in a rousing speech to Congress Wednesday that many pro-Hamas Democrats boycotted.
Thousands gathered outside the U.S. Capitol, despite earlier warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that anyone creating a disturbance during the visit would be arrested.
Capitol Police said about 200 people were arrested Tuesday on charges stemming from a sit-in at the Cannon office building.
Inside, Netanyahu received a warm welcome from Johnson and other Republican lawmakers who arranged his speech in the House chamber, as well as a bipartisan standing ovation before speaking.
He pledged to press on with the war until “total victory,” dispelling any delusions on the Left that recent campus riots, hunger strikes and other acts of social unrest might sway his resolve to assure Israeli sovereignty and security following the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre that left some 1,200 dead and resulted in more than 200 people taken hostage, some of whom remain in captivity.
Netanyahu called protesters “useful idiots” for Israel’s adversaries. He accused them of standing with the militants who beheaded babies, raped corpses and committed other war crimes.
“These protesters that stand with them, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
Speaking to applause from U.S. lawmakers, and stony silence from others, Netanyahu sought to bolster U.S. support for his country’s fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups.
“America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together something really simple happens: We win, they lose,” said Netanyahu, who wore a yellow pin expressing solidarity with the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Freed former hostages of Hamas and families of hostages listened in the House chamber. Lawmakers of both parties rose to applaud the Israeli leader in milder moments in the speech. Security escorted out protesters in the gallery who rose to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that leaders close a deal ending the conflict and freeing hostages.
Despite having had a notoriously tumultuous relationship with President Joe Biden Netanyahu started his remarks with praise of the lame-duck leader. But he quickly turned to lavishing praise on former president and current presidential contender Donald Trump “for all he’s done for Israel.”
Netanyahu aimed to portray himself as a statesman respected by Israel’s most important ally—a task complicated by the Left’s recent decision to turn its back on the Middle East’s lone democracy as Democrats desperately court Muslim votes in battleground states like Michigan and Minnesota.
The appearance made him the first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress four times, surpassing Winston Churchill.
Many Democrats attended the address despite their criticism of Netanyahu, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who was criticized for meddling in Israel’s domestic affairs in March after he said the conservative Netanyahu had “lost his way” and called for new elections during a floor speech.
However, more than 50 Democrats—as well as Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders—boycotted the speech. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat who has been censured for making anti-Semitic statements in the past, sat in the House chamber with a keffiyeh.
The most notable absence was right behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate and was newly annointed by Democrats as their presidential candidate this week, opted instead to attend a sorority party in Indiana.
The next Democrat in line, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as “senator pro tempore” in place of her.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Biden and Harris on Thursday, and with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
Netanyahu has said his aims for the U.S. visit are to press for freeing hostages held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza, to build support for continuing Israel’s battle against the group, and to argue for continuing to confront Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iranian-allied groups in the region.
Netanyahu used an appearance early Wednesday to focus on Iran, its nuclear program and its network of armed allies. Iran is “behind the entire axis of terror” that threatens the U.S. and Israel, he said, speaking at a memorial for the late Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
