July 24th 2024.
In a passionate and fiery speech to the United States Congress on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his country's ongoing war in Gaza and condemned the American protests against it. However, his words triggered boycotts from top Democratic politicians and drew thousands of protesters to the Capitol in Washington DC to speak out against the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis.
Netanyahu, who has been leading the war effort for the past nine months, vowed to continue until they achieved "total victory." He also called on the US to show their support for Israel's fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed groups, while criticizing the widespread opposition from Americans to the war. "When America and Israel stand together, we win and they lose," he declared, proudly wearing a yellow pin in solidarity with the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The mood of the speech quickly turned somber as Netanyahu defended his country and disparaged those protesting the war, pointing to the ongoing demonstrations happening outside the Capitol building. He referred to them as "useful idiots" for Israel's enemies. While many in Congress applauded his words, leading Democrats remained silent and did not join in the standing ovations.
In a poignant moment, former hostages of Hamas and families of current hostages sat in the House chamber listening to Netanyahu's speech. As he spoke, legislators from both parties repeatedly rose to show their support for the Israeli leader. Meanwhile, security had to escort out protesters in the gallery who disrupted the speech by displaying T-shirts with demands for a cease-fire and the release of hostages.
Amidst the chaos, Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, was seen holding a sign in the House chamber that read "war criminal." Netanyahu accused the protesters of siding with the militants responsible for the deaths of innocent babies in Hamas' attack on October 7th. "They should be ashamed of themselves," he declared.
As criticism against him grows in Israel as well, Netanyahu also aimed to portray himself as a respected statesman by Israel's strongest ally. However, this task is complicated by the divided views of Americans on Israel and the war, which has become a major issue in the upcoming US presidential election.
The Capitol was heavily guarded with tall steel barriers and police had to use pepper spray to control the thousands of protesters who gathered to denounce Netanyahu as a "war criminal" and demand a cease-fire. Despite this, he received a warm welcome from House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican legislators who arranged for his speech in the House chamber. "Today and every day, America must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel," Johnson declared, receiving a bipartisan standing ovation.
Among the attendees was Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage who was freed in a rescue mission in Gaza. This made Netanyahu the first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress four times, surpassing the legendary Winston Churchill.
However, more than 50 Democrats and political independent Bernie Sanders chose to boycott Netanyahu's speech, including Vice President Kamala Harris who serves as president of the Senate. She explained that a previously scheduled trip prevented her from attending. This absence was heavily criticized by Republicans, who saw it as a sign of disloyalty towards an ally. Even former President Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, did not attend, citing the need to focus on his campaign.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Harris on Thursday, and with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. It is a critical time for the Israeli leader to strengthen ties with the US, but with tensions rising and opinions divided, it remains to be seen how this meeting will play out.
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