Newsman: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged American leaders to provide more bipartisan support to Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza that has left tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians killed. Addressing the joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster.” Israeli Prime Minister also criticized the protesters who have spoken out against the war.
Netanyahu was invited to speak primarily by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been severely critical of President Joe Biden’s response to the war, including pausing a shipment of large unguided U.S. bombs due to concerns about civilian casualties. Republicans have pushed back, saying that pausing that shipment violates Israel’s right to defend itself. Dozens of Democrats boycotted the speech.
In his speech, Israeli Prime minister Netanyahu reiterated that “Israel will always defend itself.” At one point, he told the chamber: “Our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”
Benjamin Netanyahu cited Winston Churchill’s “give us the tools and we will finish the job” quote, in his appeal to American leaders for the continued support of Israel.
“I, too, appeal to America: Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster,” Netanyahu said. “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its role in Gaza and bring all our hostages home. That’s what total victory means. And we will settle for nothing less.”
Israeli Prime minister called Hamas’ terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, “a day that will forever live in infamy,” comparing it to the attack on Pearl Harbor and 9/11.
Benjamin Netanyahu, lauded Biden’s “half century of friendship to Israel” and support following the attacks of Oct. 7.
“He rightly called Hamas ‘sheer evil.’ He dispatched two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to deter a wider war. And he came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour — a visit that will never be forgotten,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu continued expressing his gratitude to Biden “for being, as he said, a proud Zionist. Actually, as he says, a proud Irish American Zionist.” He also praised Biden’s leadership and assistance in helping to return hostages.
But later, Netanyahu also thanked former President Donald Trump for his role in brokering the Abraham Accords — saying it could pave the way for a new defensive alliance in the Middle East — as well as for more controversial moves, like recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
Netanyahu also expressed Israel’s relief that the former president “emerged safe and sound from that dastardly attack on him, dastardly attack on American democracy.”
The prime minister also talked about protests that have taken place on some college campuses throughout the United States, slamming some school administrators for not doing enough to condemn anti-Semitism.
Netanyahu addressed protests during his speech, at points mocking protesters and claiming “many choose to stand with evil.”
“These protesters stand with them [Hamas]. They should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
He thanked a group of fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who protected an American flag during a conflict with protesters.
“My friends, whenever and wherever we see the scourge of anti-Semitism, we must unequivocally condemn it and resolutely fight it without exception,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu in his address, slammed the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for him and other Israeli leaders for war crimes, and accused the ICC of libel, saying it is “trying to shackle Israel’s hands and prevent us from defending ourselves. And if Israel’s hands are tied, America is next.”
He disputed the ICC’s claim that Israel has deliberately targeted Palestinian civilians, saying Israel had warned civilians to evacuate before conducting airstrikes.Netanyahu also pushed back on ICC accusations that Israel had intentionally tried to starve Palestinians in Gaza, saying that Israel not only isn’t blocking aid but that Hamas is stealing it.
Some families of American hostages attended the speech and had a meeting planned afterward with Netanyahu and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Six American hostage families are in Washington and said they are upset that Netanyahu made the trip rather than staying in Israel trying to get their loved ones home.
The families told to news media that they are looking toward a Thursday meeting at the White House with Biden and Netanyahu as a chance for the U.S. to pressure the prime minister to agree to a deal as soon as next week to end the war.
Netanyahu spoke about the hostages taken on Oct. 7, directing the audience’s attention to Noa Argamani — the Israeli woman abducted from the Nova music festival and later rescued in a joint operation carried out by Israeli authorities after almost 250 days in captivity. Several Israel Defense Forces soldiers were also in attendance, and Netanyahu shared each of their stories. Each time he did, members stood to face them and applaud, and the gallery also stood. When one of the soldiers, who lost a limb in battle, stood to put his crutch up in the air, it garnered explosive applause. She sat with Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was also seated in Netanyahu’s box one row behind Sara Netanyahu and Argamani.
