Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday and defended Israel’s military offensive against Hamas in Gaza.
He noted that it was his fourth time ever to address Congress. But it was his first time to do so since the Oct. 7 deadly Hamas attack on Israel, when the militant group killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 others.
One of the since rescued Israeli hostages, Noa Argamani, was a guest of Netanyahu’s who, along with several members of the Israel Defense Forces, was given a standing ovation from Congress, .
Netanyahu vowed to press on with the war until “total victory” as the Palestinian death toll approaches 40,000 since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The war-torn enclave also faces a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
As Netanyahu delivered remarks in the House chamber, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators descended on Capitol Hill to protest the prime minister’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers also boycotted Netanyahu’s speech for those similar reasons.
During his nearly hour-long speech, Netanyahu did not make mention of any ceasefire negotiations. Here are some of the other key takeaways from his address.
Addressed alleged war crimes accusations
Back in May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter, complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication,” Netanyahu said during his address.
He also claimed Israel has “enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza,” and denied reports that Israel has blocked aid from entering, and rather accused Hamas of stealing it.
According to a recent United Nations report, 96% of the population of Gaza is “projected to face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.”
The U.S. has repeatedly urged Israel to allow for more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Netanyahu also issued a stark warning, claiming, “The ICC is trying to shackle Israel’s hands and prevent us from defending ourselves. And if Israel’s hands are tied, America is next.”
Netanyahu urged U.S. to expedite military aid
Netanyahu told Congress that if the U.S. fast-tracks military aid to Israel, it can “dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East.”
The Israeli prime minister invoked the words of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who asked for the U.S.’s help during World War II when he said, “Give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job.”
He added, “I, too, appeal to America: Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”
Slammed pro-Palestinian demonstrators
Netanyahu called the pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the Capitol building “Iran’s useful idiots” and said, “For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now, outside this building.”
He also claimed that they “choose to stand with evil” and “should be ashamed of themselves.”
Netanyahu thanked Biden — and Trump
Netanyahu thanked President Biden for his “heartfelt support for Israel,” acknowledging the two aircraft carriers dispatched to the Middle East to deter a wider regional war.
“He came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten,” Netanyahu said, thanking Biden for his “tireless efforts” to secure the release of the Hamas-held hostages that were kidnapped on Oct. 7.
Netanyahu also expressed gratitude for all the things former President Donald Trump did for Israel during his White House tenure, including “recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights to confronting Iran’s aggression, to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy there,” he said.
Netanyahu added that “Israelis were relieved” Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13.
Said the Israel-Hamas war will continue
Toward the end of his speech, Netanyahu maintained his stance that Israel would continue the war “until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home.”
In a post-Hamas future, Netanyahu said Israel has no interest in resettling Gaza, but will “retain overriding security control” to stop another Hamas from forming.
“My vision for the day is of a demilitarized and de-radicalized Gaza,” he said. “We will settle for nothing less.”
What’s next?
Kamala Harris, who, as vice president, serves as president of the U.S. Senate, did not attend Wednesday’s address. She and Biden are expected to meet with Netanyahu separately on Thursday, while the prime minister will meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
