WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel's war in Gaza and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to Congress on Wednesday. The speech sparked boycotts by many senior Democratic lawmakers and brought thousands to the Capitol to condemn the war and the humanitarian crisis it has caused.
Netanyahu vowed to continue the war until “total victory,” dashing the hopes of some that the Israeli president's visit to the United States could bring a breakthrough in negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.
While his speech drew applause from U.S. lawmakers and stony silence from others, Netanyahu sought to bolster U.S. support for his country's fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups.
“America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together, something very simple happens: we win, they lose,” said Netanyahu, wearing a yellow badge to express solidarity with Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
But the Israeli president soon struck a darker tone, deriding those protesting against the war on college campuses and elsewhere in the United States, pointing to demonstrations in the streets outside the Capitol, calling the protesters “useful idiots” for Israel's opponents.
He received applause from many members of Congress, but silence from leading Democrats who refused to stand and cheer.
In the House chamber, released former Hamas hostages and hostage families listened. Lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud the Israeli president during the quieter moments of his speech. Security forces escorted protesters to the gallery, who stood to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that politicians reach a deal to end the conflict and release the hostages.
Netanyahu accused the numerous anti-war protesters in the US of being on the side of the militants who, according to him, killed babies in the Hamas attack on October 7. “These protesters who are on their side should be ashamed,” he said.
Netanyahu – who is often accused of interfering in US politics to promote conservative and Republican causes – began his remarks by praising President Joe Biden, but then went on to effusively praise former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump “for everything he has done for Israel.”
He is also facing increasing criticism in Israel. Netanyahu has sought to portray himself as a statesman respected by Israel's most important ally. This task is made more difficult by Americans' increasingly divided views on Israel and the war, which has become a central issue in the US presidential election campaign.
On Wednesday, the Capitol was surrounded by high steel barriers and police used pepper spray as thousands of protesters gathered near the Capitol, calling Netanyahu a “war criminal” and demanding a ceasefire.
Netanyahu was warmly welcomed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers who organized his speech in the House chamber. Before his speech, Netanyahu received a standing ovation from both parties.
With this appearance, Netanyahu became the first foreign head of state to address a joint session of Congress four times, surpassing Winston Churchill.
More than 50 Democrats and independent Bernie Sanders boycotted Netanyahu's speech. The most conspicuous absence followed closely behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, said a long-planned trip prevented her from attending.
The next Democrat in line, Senator Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as Senator pro tempore in her place.
Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan who has family in the West Bank, sat in the House chamber with a Palestinian scarf she often wears draped over her shoulders. Tlaib was rebuked last year for her sharp criticism of Israel's conduct in the war.
Republicans said the absence of Harris, the new Democratic frontrunner for the presidency, was a sign of disloyalty to an ally. Former President Donald Trump's vice presidential candidate, JD Vance, also did not attend 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.
Many of the growing crowds protested the killing of more than 39,000 Palestinians in the war. Others condemned Netanyahu's failure to free Israeli and American hostages taken by Hamas and other militant groups during the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war.
Support for Israel has long carried political weight in US politics, but the usually warm reception for Netanyahu's visits was marred this time by political turmoil, including the assassination attempt on Trump and Biden's decision not to run for another term.
Many Democrats who support Israel but are critical of Netanyahu viewed the speech as an attempt by Republicans to portray themselves as the most loyal party.
Despite their criticism of Netanyahu, many Democrats attended the speech, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who called for new elections in Israel in a speech in March. Schumer, from New York, said at the time that Netanyahu had “lost his way” and was an obstacle to peace in the region given the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
About 60 MPs met with relatives of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Wednesday and expressed their anger at Netanyahu. “Because by coming here, he risks making himself the issue and turning the humanitarian issue of the hostages into a political one,” Maya Roman, whose family members were kidnapped as hostages, told MPs.
The United States is Israel's main ally, arms supplier and source of military aid. Netanyahu's visit is his first foreign visit since the war began and comes under the shadow of arrest warrants sought against him by the International Criminal Court for alleged Israeli war crimes against Palestinians. The United States does not recognize the International Criminal Court.
The Biden administration wants Netanyahu to focus his visit on reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. A growing number of Israelis accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war to avoid a likely fall from power after the conflict ends.
Netanyahu said his goals for his US visit were to push for the release of hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip, to gain support for Israel's continued fight against the terrorist group, and to advocate for a continued confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iran-aligned groups in the region.
Some Democrats have been suspicious of Netanyahu since he condemned then-President Barack Obama's impending nuclear deal with Iran in a joint address to Congress in 2015.
Netanyahu used his appearance early Wednesday to focus on Iran, its nuclear program and its network of armed allies. Iran is “behind the entire terrorist axis” that threatens the United States and Israel, he said at a memorial service for former Senator Joe Lieberman.
