Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to Congress Wednesday that triggered boycotts by many top Democratic lawmakers and drew thousands of protesters to the Capitol to condemn the war in Gaza.
Nine months into the war in Gaza, Netanyahu vowed to press on with the war until “total victory.” He also sought bolster U.S. support for his country’s fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups, and bitterly condemned widespread opposition in the United States to the war.
“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.
Netanyahu’s speech quickly took on a darker tone as he defended his country but also derided those protesting the war, gesturing to demonstrations happening as he spoke on the streets outside the U.S. Capitol, as “useful idiots” for Israel’s adversaries.
He drew shouts of applause from many in Congress, but also silence from leading Democrats who declined to stand and cheer.
Freed former hostages of Hamas and families of hostages listened in the House chamber as Netanyahu spoke. Lawmakers of both parties rose repeatedly to applaud the Israeli leader, while security escorted out protesters in the gallery who rose to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that leaders close a deal for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages.
A weeping Rep. Rashida Tlaib held a sign in the House chamber that said “war criminal.”
Netanyahu accused the numerous protesters of the war in the United States of standing with the terrorists who killed babies in Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7. “These protesters that stand with them, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.
More than 50 Democrats and political independent Bernie Sanders boycotted Netanyahu’s speech. The most notable absence was right behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, said a long-scheduled trip kept her from attending.
The next Democrat in line, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Sen. Ben Cardin, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as “senator pro tempore” in place of her.
Republicans said the absence of Harris, the new Democratic front-runner for the presidency, was a sign of disloyalty to an ally. Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, was also a no-show for Netanyahu’s speech, citing the need to campaign.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Harris on Thursday, and with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
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8 Responses
Can’t miss the idolater-in-chief addressing the Congress, of course.
@HaKatan: I’ll take him over garbage juice like you any day
Lashon Harah please leave the chat
HaKatan ,
Glad you know your place in the world, well stated in your “name”
The Chazon Ish זצוק”ל once said we accept the Israeli state as a Defacto and as so we must do all that it takes to live together with respect, in that sense in my view ”The Prime Minister of Israel today represents all the Jews” more ever when we are at war with the enemies of our nation across the entire globe, so my take today of his speech is it was a strong message to the world and it was a great hour of קידוש ה’ וקידוש ערך החיים , we should be lucky that BiBi is by the driver’s seat and doing his job against all odds, may Hashem send us the ultimate Geula Shlaima with the מלך המשיח בב”א
max dear:
The Chazon Ish of the Torah world was known to not consider the Zionist State to even be a State, and considered its “government” to be a bunch of thugs. Certainly, its chief thug does not represent Jews anywhere despite incessant and massive Zionist propaganda to that effect.
His speech was in no way a kiddush Hashem – not according to the Jewish faith – and was, if anything, just the opposite. The gentiles here clearly recognized G-d’s Providence in saving President Trump from an assassin the other week, while the “Jewish” head of the Zionist “State” did nothing of the sort.
“The gentiles here clearly recognized G-d’s Providence in saving President Trump from an assassin the other week, while the “Jewish” head of the Zionist “State” did nothing of the sort’
Well, Bibi has plans to fly down to Mar a Lago and degrade himself further by getting on his knees and begging mechilah from Trump for congratulating Biden on his election victory back in 2020.
Baruch Hashem Klal Yisroel has such a great leader in these dangerous times.
He really knows how to get his points across as he speaks on behalf of ALL Yidden around the world.
I know some people may not agree with all his policies & that’s fine. There have always been detractors amongst us but I believe BiBi at the “end of days” will be sitting at the same table as Dovid Hamelech, Shlomo Hamelech & Mordecai HaTsadik.