Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks Wednesday to a joint meeting of Congress filled with strong partisan overtones that defended his handling of the war in Gaza but did little to effectively appeal for renewed strong bipartisan support for his country.
Netanyahu’s speech — a record-setting fourth address to Congress — was filled with lines that elicited standing ovations from the Republican side of the House chamber and stony silence from the significantly reduced number of Democrats in attendance.
That included effusive praise for former President Donald Trump and harsh attacks on the tens of thousands of American antiwar activists who have taken to the streets and university campuses in recent months and protested Netanyahu’s visit outside of the Capitol complex.
He repeatedly sought to yoke the United States’ security fate to the outcome of his far-right government’s maximalist war aims against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“America and Israel must stand together,” Netanyahu said in his hour-long speech. “When we stand together, something very simple happens, we win, they lose.”
The prime minister expressed appreciation for President Joe Biden, who earlier this week announced he would no longer seek reelection, “for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages” and for “half-century of friendship” to Israel.
Netanyahu spoke to a full room, but one that was filled with far fewer elected officials than usual. Many House and Senate Democrats boycotted the speech, which critics panned as a public relations stunt orchestrated between Republicans and Netanyahu’s staff to try to save his sinking political fortunes at home.
The vacated Democrat seats were instead filled with staff and guests, many of whom remained seated throughout the address. But their silence was more than made up for by the raucous cheers, wolf whistles, and stamping of feet coming from the packed galleries above the floor.
In a line that received more loud cheers than nearly any other, including ones that directly attacked Hamas, Netanyahu harshly condemned the anti-Israel protesters, many of whom are young, racially diverse and progressive.
“Clarity begins by knowing the difference between good and evil, but incredibly many anti-Israel protesters, many stand to choose with evil. They stand with Hamas…They should be ashamed of themselves,” Netanyahu said. “Some of these protesters, and it’s amazing, absolutely amazing. Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming, ‘Gays for Gaza.’ They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’”
Related: Staffers join thousands in fiery protests of Netanyahu on Capitol Hill
Democrats who announced they would not be attending the speech included Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois and Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray of Washington, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris, who would otherwise have presided over the gathering alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Because Murray was also boycotting the speech, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md., filled in as presider.
The total number of elected Democrats boycotting the speech was not immediately clear but appeared to be significantly higher than the 58 Democrats who boycotted Netanyahu’s last address to Congress in 2015.
Back then, Democrats criticized the speech for being orchestrated in a partisan manner with Republicans to give the Israeli leader a high-profile platform to attack then-President Barack Obama’s efforts to finalize the multinational nuclear accord with Iran.
Alternative event
Many Democrats on Wednesday opted instead to attend an event organized earlier in the day with several Israelis whose family members are still being held hostage by Hamas. The event was organized by a group of senior House Democrats as counterprogramming to Netanyahu’s speech.
That crowded event in a room in the Capitol Visitor Center was standing room only. An estimated 80 to 100 House and Senate Democrats were in attendance, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.
The Israelis who spoke there were impassioned in their criticisms of the prime minister. They accused Netanyahu of refusing to accept a ceasefire with Hamas that would allow for all remaining hostages to be released, but also require the Israeli military to withdraw from Gaza and leave Hamas far from militarily destroyed.
“Focusing on image rather than on essence, Netanyahu believes it is more important to speak to the American Congress than to answer Israeli questions, which he avoids for months,” said Zahiro Shahar Mor, whose 79-year-old uncle is still being held hostage.
“Rather than confronting the shocked and devastated citizens and press, he orchestrated a standing ovation speech thousands of miles away from where his responsibility actually lies, taking the entire House of Representatives as hostage to his twisted plan of public imagery,” he continued.
According to an Israeli Channel 12 poll published earlier this month, 72 percent of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign for the failures of his government around the Oct. 7 attack. Of that amount, 44 percent want Netanyahu to resign immediately while another 28 percent want him to leave office when the war ends. And another 64 percent of Israelis, according to the poll, support reaching a deal with Hamas that would result in a ceasefire and the return of all hostages.
But Netanyahu made no mention of a ceasefire and instead insisted the Israeli military would continue to wage war in Gaza until it has eradicated Hamas. “The hands of the Jewish state will never be shackled. Israel will always defend itself,” he said.
He called for the fast-tracking of U.S. military assistance to Israel, arguing it was needed to hasten an end to the war in Gaza and prevent a broader war from breaking out in the Middle East. He also said that Israel’s fight against Iranian proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis was in defense of the United States.
“We’re not only protecting ourselves, we’re protecting you,” Netanyahu said. “Remember this: our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”
But even as Netanyahu was still speaking, some Democrats such as Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Jon Ossoff of Georgia got up and left the chamber. And as the GOP lawmakers and gallery applauded at the conclusion of his remarks, nearly all Democrats in attendance got up and made haste for the exits.
The House’s lone Palestinian-American, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., was the only lawmaker in attendance seen visibly protesting Netanyahu’s speech.
Wearing the black-and-white checked Palestinian keffiyeh around her neck, Tlaib sat seated and stony-faced throughout the speech. Halfway through, she held up a paddle sign with the words “War Criminal” and “Guilty of Genocide” written across its two sides.
Netanyahu has been accused but not indicted on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court for his handling of the war in Gaza, where over 39,000 Palestinians, many of whom are believed to be civilians, have been killed.
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