“In the heart of the Middle East, standing in Iran’s way, is one proud, pro-American democracy—my country, the state of Israel!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting Washington amid the Israel-Hamas war, spoke these words Wednesday to enthusiastic applause during an address to a joint meeting of Congress that some Democrats boycotted.
The Hamas terror organization, which killed or kidnapped over 1,400 Israelis and international civilians Oct. 7 in the most brutal attack on Jews since the Holocaust, is reported to be still holding 116 of 240 initial hostages—including eight American citizens. It is unknown how many of the hostages are still alive.
Several Democrats chose not to attend as an act of protest against Israel and its war with Hamas.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., called the invitation to Netanyahu to speak to Congress “utterly immoral and cruel.” She and other far-left lawmakers have described Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks as a “genocide.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has called for Netanyahu to be arrested and turned over to the International Criminal Court. Tlaib, a Palestinian American and a Muslim, attended Netanyahu’s address but held up a sign that said “war criminal” on one side and “guilty of genocide” on the other. She neither applauded nor stood for any hostages or their families.
The White House has reviewed the Israel-Hamas war at least three times since Oct. 7 and found that Israel’s military actions don’t fit any definition of genocide. Polls show that a majority of Republicans, Democrats, and independents support Israel over Hamas.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who also acts as president of the Senate, chose not to attend Netanyahu’s speech. Her campaign team said Harris had an earlier commitment to address a sorority convention in Indianapolis and rebuffed bipartisan accusations that her absence was also in protest of Israel.
In the case of the absence of the vice president for an address to a joint meeting of Congress, the Senate president pro tempore sits next to the speaker of the House directly behind the guest. The person who currently holds that office is Rep. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who also boycotted Netanyahu’s address. Murray called for a “cease-fire” in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas.
Hamas has rejected every proposal for a cease-fire that allows for the release of hostages held by the terrorist group.
And so House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was joined by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., in presiding over Netanyahu’s address. Cardin was acting Senate president pro tempore.
Protesters outside the Capitol threatened to apprehend Netanyahu themselves, with one suggesting he would be “happy to make a citizen’s arrest.”
Julio Rosas, an independent journalist who covers riots, reported that police had begun to use pepper spray on an increasingly unruly crowd outside the building.
“I want to thank you for giving me the proud honor of addressing this citadel of democracy for the fourth time,” Netanyahu told lawmakers.
Netanyahu thus became the foreign leader who has spoken to Congress more than any other in history. Israel’s prime minister previously had been tied with Winston Churchill, the celebrated British prime minister, with three appearances before Congress.
Netanyahu began by accusing Iran and its allies of aggression and “barbarism” against Israel, Western allies, and other Arab nations.
“America and Israel must stand together,” he said to a standing ovation, “because when we stand together, something very simple happens: We win, they lose.”
After praising the actions of the Israeli military for rescuing over 130 hostages, Netanyahu introduced Noa Argamani, one of four hostages rescued in a daring special forces operation. He also welcomed the families of American hostages still in captivity.
“When I met with [these families] again, I promised them this: I will not rest until all of their loved ones are home,” he said.
Netanyahu praised President Joe Biden for “tireless” support of Israel and promised that America’s stance with Israel during her “darkest hour” will “never be forgotten.”
Other celebrated guests included four soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, a paratrooper officer who emigrated from Ethiopia, an injured tank commander, an infantryman who lost a leg fighting Hamas, and a sergeant named Ashraf who serves with one of Israel’s Muslim defensive units. Netanyahu celebrated their spirit, unity, and dedication:
“Like Ashraf, the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Bedouin, Christian, and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery,” Netanyahu said, over applause.
Netanyahu reaffirmed the post-World War II, post-Holocaust promise of “Never Again,” saying that “after Oct. 7, ‘Never Again’ is now!”
The Israeli prime minister heaped scorn on those protesting in favor of Hamas on college campuses and elsewhere, contending that those who support the brutal rapes and murders of parents and children “should be ashamed of themselves.”
“They refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians,” Netanyahu said. “Between the democratic state of Israel and the terrorist thugs of Hamas.”
He then outlined a report from U.S. intelligence citing Iranian funding for anti-Israel protests in the United States. “They want to disrupt America,” he said.
“These protesters burn American flags, even on the Fourth of July—and I wish to salute the fraternity brothers of the University of North Carolina who protected the American flag against these anti-Israel protesters.”
Amid the standing ovation and cheers that followed, many lawmakers in the audience began to chant “USA! USA!”
“For all we know, Iran could be funding the anti-Israel protests going on right outside this building—not that many, but they’re there, and throughout the city,” Netanyahu said. “Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising and promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”
“Some of these protesters—it’s amazing, absolutely amazing,” he quipped, “some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming ‘Gays for Gaza.’ They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC’!”
Netanyahu called out protesters who chanted the ethnic-cleansing slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free!” but don’t “have a clue which river or sea they’re talking about.”
“They not only get an ‘F’ in geography, but an ‘F’ in history,” he said.
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing a historic home for the Jewish people, dating back 4,000 years to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: “It’s always been our home. It will always be our home.”
He didn’t slam only the anti-Israel protesters on American university campuses, but also their administrators. He said that Harvard, UPenn, and his own alma mater, MIT, “couldn’t bring themselves to condemn the calls for the genocide of Jews.”
Netanyahu asserted that there was no need for “additional context” to calls for genocide of the Jews, as university administrators told Congress they needed:
Antisemitism is the world’s oldest hatred. For centuries, the massacre of Jews was always preceded by wild accusations. We were accused of everything from poisoning wells to spreading plagues to using the blood of slaughtered children to bake Passover matzos. These preposterous antisemitic lies led to persecution, mass murder, and ultimately to history’s worst genocide, the Holocaust.
Just as malicious lies were leveled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being leveled at the Jewish state. The outrageous slanders that painted Israel as racist and genocidal are meant to delegitimize Israel, to demonize the Jewish state, and to demonize Jews everywhere.
No wonder we’ve witnessed an appalling rise of antisemitism in America and around the world. My friends, whenever and wherever we see the scourge of antisemitism, we must unequivocally condemn it and resolutely fight it without exception.
Netanyahu rebuffed the International Criminal Court’s claim that Israel has starved civilians in Gaza, citing 500,000 tons of food that has been shipped in.
“If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it,” he said, “it’s because Hamas is stealing it.”
The prime minister warned that bowing to calls for a cease-fire “before the war was won” would allow Hamas to continue perpetrating additional acts of terror against Israel and civilians in Gaza. He reaffirmed that he would never allow a premature conclusion.
Netanyahu cited the analysis of Col. John Spencer, military historian and professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Spencer’s investigation into urban warfare throughout history concluded that Israel had taken more steps to prevent civilian casualties (beyond those required by international law) than any other nation in history.
Netanyahu argued that Israeli soldiers “should not be condemned for how they’re conducting the war in Gaza, but commended for it.”
He warned that the threat of Islamist terrorism from Iran and its proxies is not limited to Israel but looms over the entire Middle East, Western powers, and the United States. He cited assassination attempts, Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and open calls for war with the U.S.
“My friends, if you remember one thing from this speech, remember this,” Netanyahu said. “Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory. That victory is in sight.”
He added:
This war could be over tomorrow if Hamas surrendered and released all of the hostages. But if they don’t, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its rule in Gaza, and bring all of our hostages home. That is what victory means, and we’ll settle for nothing less.
Netanyahu called on America to “give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster,” echoing Churchill’s calls for U.S. aid during World War II. He also painted a picture of a civilian-run, demilitarized Gaza Strip similar to Japan and Germany after the Allies’ victory in 1945.
And he thanked former President Donald Trump for his staunch support of Israel and Jerusalem as the nation’s capital, and for brokering the Abraham Accords—calling on that peace agreement to be the bedrock of an “Abraham Alliance” among Israel and friendly Arab nations in the Middle East.
Netanyahu concluded by praising the alliance between the United States and Israel, vowing:
Israel will always be your loyal friend and your steadfast partner. On behalf of the people of Israel, I came here today to say: Thank you, America!
Thank you for your solidarity, thank you for standing with Israel in our hour of need. Together, we shall defend our common civilization. Together, we shall secure a brilliant future for both our nations.
May God bless Israel, may God bless America, and may God bless the great alliance between Israel and America forever.
