Benjamin Netanyahu Goes to Washington -- Again

"America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together something really simple happens: We win, they lose."

"These protesters that stand with [the terrorist Hamas group] they should be ashamed of themselves.""

"I have a message for these protesters: When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the House chamber.   Win McNamee/Getty Images/

Standing before Congress on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah defended his nation's Gaza war as a necessary act to eradicate an evil enemy who slaughtered over a thousand people on October 7, when thousands of Hamas operatives, terrorist allies and ordinary Palestinian citizens  flooded into Israel in a well-rehearsed, organized day of terror, of mass rapes, mutilation, sadistic torture, slaughter of infants, children, the elderly, and hostage taking of Israelis into Gaza to be  used as prisoner-exchange pawns.

Protesters converged on Washington for the express purpose of excoriating the Israeli Prime Minister and of claiming Israel to be intent on genocide in Gaza, while championing the nobility of Hamas's strike for liberty against an Israeli juggernaut intent on strangling Palestinian statehood ambitions. Mr. Netanyahu is very well aware of Palestinian aspirations gearing toward the destruction of Israel and its ancestral landmass forming the base of the longed-for Palestinian state, expressed in the protests clamouring for 'intifada' and 'final solution'.

Israel, he assured the lawmakers, both Republicana nd Democratic who applauded his presence, must continue n Gaza until such time as "total victory" has been achieved. He spoke with derision of the large number of protesers against the war that Palestinians brought on themselves; the roiling protests on college campuses throughout the United States along with those taking place on the streets including outside the Capitol where he spoke.

Initiating his remarks with acknowledgement of President Joe Biden, he praised the president's efforts. More lavish praise was reserved for former president -- currently the Republican presidential contender -- Donald Trump "for all he's done for Israel". Outside the capital, tall steel barriers were in place, with police making use of pepper spray against the thousands of anti-Israel protesters who rallied nearby.

House Speaker Mike Johnson received Mr. Netanyahu warmly, along with the other Republican lawmakers who had arranged for his speech in the House chamber. A bipartisan standing ovation recognized Mr. Netanyahu's importance as a major ally in the Middle East for the United States. This appearance represented the fourth address by Mr. Netanyahu before a joint meeting of Congress by a foreign leader.

On the downside, and surprisingly undiplomatic, over fifty Democrats made the choice to boycott Mr. Netanyahu's speech. Vice-President Kamala Harris was among those who chose to be elsewhere rather than courteously receive the Israeli prime minister and hear out his speech to Congress. A shameful exercise in discourtesy and a shallow political statement of antagonism, more's the pity.

 

Pro-Palestinian protesters and police clash at Union Station in Washington DC. Photograph: AFP/Getty