(Washington) In a fiery and combative speech, Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called on the United States and Israel to “remain united” in the face of the threat from Hamas and Iran, vigorously defending the war in the Gaza Strip and condemning those who demonstrate against it.
Israel’s “victory” will also be that of the United States, the Israeli prime minister declared before a divided American Congress, after more than nine months of war in the Gaza Strip.
“For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand united,” he said from the House chamber, to loud applause from Republican lawmakers.
In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror is challenging the United States, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations, but a clash between barbarism and civilization.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel
The right-wing Israeli leader received dozens of applause from the Republican camp, but more than 60 Democratic lawmakers, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, boycotted his speech.
PHOTO CRAIG HUDSON, REUTERS
60 Democratic elected officials boycotted Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech.
They condemn his conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths – 39,145 according to the latest figures from the Gaza government’s Health Ministry – and a humanitarian catastrophe.
Outside, thousands of demonstrators gathered around the Capitol to protest. The crowd held signs urging the United States to “stop American aid to Israel” and calling Netanyahu a “war criminal.”
An American star-spangled banner was burned as well as an Israeli flag.
« J’ai un message pour ces manifestants : lorsque les tyrans de Téhéran qui pendent les homosexuels à des grues et assassinent les femmes qui ne se couvrent pas les cheveux vous applaudissent et vous financent, alors vous êtes officiellement devenus les idiots utiles de l’Iran », a répondu M. Nétanyahou.
Hommage à Trump
Profitant de cette tribune exceptionnelle, M. Nétanyahou a exhorté les États-Unis à continuer à livrer à Israël l’aide militaire dont il a besoin, afin d’« accélérer la fin de la guerre ». Washington a suspendu une toute petite partie de son aide – des bombes d’un certain calibre – sans pour autant cesser son soutien.
PHOTO CRAIG HUDSON, REUTERS
Benyamin Nétanyahou
« Nous ne nous protégeons pas seulement nous-mêmes. Nous vous protégeons […] “Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory,” the leader said, adding that his country would do “everything necessary” to “restore security” to its northern border with Lebanon.
He also said he was “convinced” that efforts to free the hostages held by Hamas “can be crowned with success”, thanking President Joe Biden in passing, at a time when some suspect him of dragging his feet in concluding a ceasefire under pressure from far-right members of his government.
Among those gathered to listen to the Israeli leader was Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old former hostage.
It is the fourth time – a record for a foreign leader – that Mr Netanyahu has addressed Congress, an honour usually reserved for leaders on state visits.
On Thursday, he will meet with President Biden, with whom he has a complicated relationship. Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic candidate for the White House, did not attend his speech because of a previously scheduled trip, but will meet with him separately on Thursday.
Mr Netanyahu will then travel to the Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Friday, at the invitation of Donald Trump, the two men being politically close and saying they get along famously.
“I want to thank President Trump for everything he has done for Israel,” he said, citing in particular the Abraham Accords concluded between Israel and several Arab countries.
“Civil Administration” in Gaza
The visit of the Israeli Prime Minister, who arrived in Washington on Monday, is causing a stir in the midst of political turmoil in the United States with the withdrawal of Joe Biden from the race for the White House.
The United States is Israel’s primary ally and main military supporter.
But the Biden administration has grown irritated in recent months by the consequences of the Israeli response to the October 7 attack on its soil by Hamas, insisting on the protection of civilians and the entry of humanitarian aid.
Mr. Netanyahu also discussed the post-war period in Gaza, saying that Israel does not want to “reoccupy” the Palestinian territory. He called for “demilitarization and deradicalization” of the Gaza Strip, with the support of a “civil administration led by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel.”
“It’s not too much to ask,” he added.
But “in the near future, we will have to maintain a strong security control there in order to prevent the resurgence of violence and to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
But no word on a Palestinian state, which he is fiercely opposed to. On this subject, the gap between Washington and Israel remains gaping.
“UNRWA is not a terrorist organization,” says Washington
PHOTO DAWOUD ABU ALKAS, REUTERS ARCHIVES
UNRWA, which has more than 30,000 employees serving 5.9 million Palestinians in the region, is accused by Israel of employing “more than 400 terrorists” in the Gaza Strip.
The United States on Wednesday harshly criticized an Israeli bill that would label the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) a “terrorist organization.”
“UNRWA is not a terrorist organization and we urge the Israeli government and the Knesset (parliament) to halt passage of this legislation,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
“These attacks by the Israeli government on UNRWA are incredibly unnecessary. They do nothing to advance the cause of delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza,” he added, stressing that Washington continued to support the agency’s work.
The Israeli parliament on Monday approved in first reading a bill designating the U.N. agency as a “terrorist organization” and proposing to cut all ties with the aid agency. The bill will be sent back to committee for further consideration.
UNRWA, which has more than 30,000 employees serving 5.9 million Palestinians in the region, is accused by Israel of employing “more than 400 terrorists” in the Gaza Strip.
For its part, the United States suspended its financial contribution to the agency after accusations, never substantiated by Israel, of the possible involvement of some of its employees in the Hamas attacks of October 7.
Since then, US law has prohibited Washington from releasing funds to the agency.
Several countries, however, have resumed their contributions, including the United Kingdom at the beginning of the week. Germany, the European Union, Sweden, Japan and France have done the same.