Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is ready to increase its response to rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.
"I can tell you we are prepared to do a lot more. We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state," said Netanyahu via satellite to the 18,000 attendees of the 2019 AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.
Netanyahu, who was originally supposed to address the AIPAC conference in person and dine with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, cut short his visit after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip destroyed a house on Moshav Mishmeret in central Israel early Monday.
Netanyahu noted that Israel has "responded with great force" to the latest Hamas rocket attacks.
"In the last 24 hours, the IDF destroyed major Hamas terrorist installations on a scale not seen since the end of the military operation in Gaza four years ago," he said.
Netanyahu arrived back in Israel on Tuesday to meet with security officials at the Defense Ministry about the Gaza situation. Israeli officials said that they have not agreed to a cease-fire with Hamas and that they are prepared to continue airstrikes.
While still in the U.S. on Monday, Netanyahu authorized dozens of airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.
Netanyahu also said that "it's not about the Benjamins" as he hit back against any suggestion that U.S. politicians are paid to support Israel.
"Some people will just never get it. They'll never understand why the vast majority of Americans – Jews and non-Jews alike – support Israel."
"Take it from this Benjamin: It's not about the Benjamins," Netanyahu said. "The reason the people of America support Israel is not because they want our money, it's because they share our values."
A few hours later, Omar responded on Twitter: "This from a man facing indictments for bribery and other crimes in three separate public corruption affairs. Next!"
