The top four leaders of the House and Senate invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress, despite political divisions over Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The leaders expressed solidarity with Israel and invited Netanyahu to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combating terror, and establishing peace in the region. The invitation did not include a specific date for the speech, and it comes at a time when there is debate in the U.S. about support for Israel amid its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
President Biden recently acknowledged the divisions over the war in Gaza, stating that Palestinians have endured significant suffering during the conflict. He also mentioned that Israel has achieved some of its objectives in the war, with Hamas no longer capable of carrying out large-scale attacks like those seen in the past. Despite divisions within the U.S. government regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza, U.S. officials have come to Netanyahu’s defense following the International Criminal Court’s announcement of seeking arrest warrants against him and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Some Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have been critical of Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. Schumer has called Netanyahu a “major obstacle to peace” and criticized him for tolerating civilian casualties in Gaza, which has led to a decline in support for Israel worldwide. However, Schumer has also emphasized the strong relationship between the U.S. and Israel, stating that he will always welcome the opportunity for the Israeli prime minister to speak to Congress in a bipartisan manner.
Despite some opposition from Democrats, Netanyahu is set to address a joint meeting of Congress, with the support of House Speaker Mike Johnson and other leaders. While some Democrats, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have expressed reservations about Netanyahu’s speech, others, such as Rep. Pete Aguilar, have indicated that they will respect the decision to invite him. Netanyahu last addressed Congress in 2015, where he sought to persuade lawmakers to oppose negotiations between the Obama administration and Iran regarding the regime’s nuclear program.
The invitation for Netanyahu to speak before Congress highlights the ongoing complexities and divisions in U.S. politics regarding Israel and its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Despite disagreements over Israel’s conduct in the war, there remains a strong relationship between the U.S. and Israel, with leaders expressing solidarity and support for the Israeli government’s efforts to defend democracy, combat terror, and achieve peace in the region.
