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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress on Wednesday as many Democratic lawmakers boycotted his speech and protesters surrounded the Congress building. As VOA correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, Republican lawmakers said the speech was essential to reaffirm America's commitment to its Middle East ally amid the ten-month war with Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed US lawmakers on Wednesday for the first time since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.
"It is a clash between those who glorify death and those who see life as sacred. For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together," Mr. Netanyahu said.
Mr Netanyahu addressed the protesters, calling anti-Semitism the oldest hatred in the world.
"When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays and kill women who don't cover their hair, praise, support and finance you, you have officially become the useful idiots of Iran."
Gaza's health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, says more than 39,000 Palestinians have died since the war began. Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke about the International Criminal Court's charges against Israel for war crimes.
"The prosecutor of the international criminal court has shamelessly accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is absurd," Mr. Netanyahu said.
Several senior Democratic figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, did not attend the speech. Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, explained the reasons for the boycott.
"Netanyahu has joined the cause with right-wing extremists, who pursue their agendas at the expense of Israel's security. These extremists have taken some of the highest cabinet positions and pushed Netanyahu's most misguided policies,” said Senator Reed.
Mr. Netanyahu was welcomed on Wednesday by the Democratic and Republican leaders of Congress.
"It's a very important period that has been appreciated as such by the bipartisan leadership that invited him here because our dear ally Israel is in a war for its existence and that war extends to every one of its borders," the Republican said. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Some relatives of the Israeli hostages protested the speech, calling on Mr. Netanyahu to agree to a cease-fire proposed by the United States. Mr. Netanyahu laid out his vision for the Middle East after the war.
"Once we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza may emerge. My vision is a demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to displace the population of Gaza, but indefinitely we must maintain security control there."
Netanyahu's speech is crucial to maintaining American support for Israel, but it comes at a time when domestic American politics is in the spotlight.
"He will try, at the very least, to stop an erosion of support among Democrats and increase support from Republicans, whom he thinks are much more likely to be in power after the November election," says Jon Alterman with the Center. for Strategic and International Studies.
Mr. Netanyahu will meet today with President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as with former President Donald Trump on Friday./ VOA
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