Netanyahu addresses Congress: America and Israel must stand together

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adressed Congress. President Joe Biden, who is recovering from COVID-19, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to run for president, were not present. Harris cited "scheduling constraints" as the reason for her absence. Netanyahu was received with loud applause by most members of Congress and spoke for 54 minutes about the "day after" the Gaza War, the future of the Middle East, the case at the International Criminal Court, and the joint struggle against Iran.

In the Congress hall, there were hundreds of senators, congressmen, family members of hostages, bereaved families, Israeli ambassadors to Washington and the UN, advisors and senior aides to Netanyahu, his close associates, and more. Among the notable names in the audience were Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza, Senators Marco Rubio, Mitch McConnell, John Fetterman, Jon Tester, Kenneth Kelly, entrepreneur Elon Musk, and others.

"It's a clash between barbarism and civilization. It's a battle between glorifying death and those who cherish life. America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens, we win, they lose. I came to assure you, my friends, of one thing, we will win," Netanyahu started.

"America and Israel must stand together," said Netanyahu, wearing a yellow pin expressing solidarity with Israeli hostages. "When we stand together something really great happens: we win, they lose."

Netanyahu added: "October 7 is a day we will remember forever. Thousands of young Israelis were celebrating at a music festival, and suddenly, when children were sleeping in their beds in towns and kibbutzim near Gaza, it turned into hell. Thousands of Hamas terrorists broke in and massacred thousands of Israelis from 41 countries. It was as if 22 September 11 attacks happened in one day. Hamas' monsters raped women and beheaded men."

"We are committed to the Israeli proposal that President Biden welcomed. Our position has not changed. The second thing, which does not contradict the first, we will not end the war until we eliminate Hamas.", he said to Congress.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to a joint meeting of Congress to seek support for Israel's fight against Hamas and other adversaries, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP

About President Biden, Netanyahu said: "I want to thank President Biden for his heartfelt support for Israel. He rightly called Hamas 'sheer evil.' He came to Israel to visit us during our darkest hour, which will never be forgotten. He dispatched aircraft carriers and came to Israel to be with us in our most difficult time. His visit will never be forgotten. President Biden and I have known each other for 40 years. I want to thank him for his long-standing assistance and for being a proud American Zionist. I have known Biden for 40 years. I want to thank him for his friendship."

On the IDF, Netanyahu said: "The men and women of the IDF come from every corner of Israeli society, religious and secular, every ethnicity. I promise to all the bereaved families in Israel that the sacrifice of your loved ones will not be in vain. These are the soldiers of Israel, unbound, undaunted, unafraid!"

"For Israel, every death is a tragedy. For Hamas - a strategy," Netanyahu added.

On the protesters outside Congress, he said: "They keep talking about 'from the river to the sea.' They don't even know which river or which sea. Some of these protesters hold up signs saying: 'Gays for Gaza' they might as well hold signs saying 'Chickens for KFC'."

On the ICC, Netanyahu said that "The ICC lies are not only libels but are dangerous. America is next, as well as all democracies fighting terrorism. The state of Israel will never be shackled. Israel will always defend itself."

Netanyahu also spoke of an alliance between Arab states and Israel, following the Abraham accords, called the "Abraham Alliance": "The new alliance I envision could be an extension of the Abraham Accords - which was supported by Republicans and Democrats alike. I have a new name for this alliance: The Abraham Alliance. I want to thank Trump for his efforts in the Abraham Accords."

At the end of the speech, Netanyahu said: "If you remember one thing from this speech, our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory is your victory. That victory is in sight. Hamas's defeat will be a devastating blow to Iran."

This is the fourth time Netanyahu has addressed Congress. An official in the Prime Minister's entourage told "Israel Hayom" before the speech: "There will be innovations in the speech because it is a new vision for the Middle East and a way to confront Iran." Many members of the Democratic Party announced in advance that they would boycott the Prime Minister's speech.

Netanyahu's first speech to Congress was shortly after he was elected Prime Minister in 1996. The second speech took place during his second term as Prime Minister in 2011, and the third in 2015, when he addressed Congress against the wishes of then-President Barack Obama.