The Israeli prime minister addressed a joint session of Congress for the fourth time in his political career.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for U.S. support amid his country’s ongoing war with terror group Hamas in an address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on July 24.
“America and Israel must stand together,“ Mr. Netanyahu said. ”When we stand together something really great happens: We win, they lose.”
The Israeli prime minister thanked President Joe Biden for the support he’s shown so far to Israel.
“President Biden and I have known each other for over 40 years,“ Mr. Netanyahu said. ”I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel, and for being, as he says, ‘A proud Zionist’—actually he says, ‘A proud Irish-American Zionist.’”
The Israeli leader used the opening minutes of his remarks to recount the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks across several southern Israeli communities. He also took the time to highlight the experiences of Israeli soldiers who responded to the attacks and have fought in the Gaza Strip in the ensuing conflict.
In one example, he shared the story of a soldier who immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia and was among those who responded.
“He put on his uniform, grabbed his rifle, but he didn’t have a car,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “So he ran eight miles to the front lines of Gaza to defend his people.”
He also recounted the story of a soldier who died four weeks into the war, after he set off a booby trap while searching a tunnel shaft.
The Israeli leader’s visit comes at a dynamic moment, amid signs of a burgeoning Gaza peace plan and shakeups in the U.S. presidential race.
On July 19, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an Israel–Hamas cease-fire deal was on “the 10-yard line” of completion. Two days later, President Biden suspended his 2024 reelection campaign.
President Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, and she has been taking on the new campaign role this week. Ms. Harris departed Washington on the morning of July 24 to address a Zeta Phi Beta Sorority event in Indiana, emphasizing a range of Biden administration policies.
By Ryan Morgan
