Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress for the first time since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip.
“We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel, and our Arab friends. This is a clash between barbarism and civilization,” Netanyahu said in his opening remarks.
Notably, the address saw the absence of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. The Democratic presidential candidate and President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the 2024 White House race and endorsed Harris, will meet Netanyahu on Thursday.
Netanyahu emphasized the alliance between the U.S. and Israel in his remarks. “For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. I assure you today of one thing—we will win.”
Netanyahu provided harrowing details of the Oct. 7 attacks in which 3,000 Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans, and the abduction of 255 individuals into Gaza. “I will not rest until all their loved ones are home, all of them,” he said.
Netanyahu Rejects ICC Accusations
Netanyahu said Israel has enabled significant humanitarian aid for Gaza.
“Israel has enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza. That’s half a million tons of food and that’s more than 3,000 calories for every man, woman, and child in Gaza,” he said.
Any shortages in Gaza are not due to Israeli blockades, the Israeli prime minister said: “Hamas is stealing it.”
He strongly rejected accusations from the International Criminal Court prosecutor that Israel is deliberately targeting civilians, outlining the measures he said are taken by the IDF to protect Palestinian civilians, including dropping millions of flyers, sending millions of text messages and making hundreds of thousands of phone calls to warn civilians.
In contrast, he accused Hamas of deliberately endangering Palestinian lives by firing rockets from schools, hospitals and mosques, and even shooting Palestinians when they try to leave the war zone.
Attempts by the ICC to constrain Israel’s defensive actions could eventually jeopardize America’s own ability to combat terrorism, Netanyahu said.
“If Israel’s hands are tied, America is next,” he said, adding that the fight against terrorism is a shared struggle.
Iran foments global terrorism and unrest, Netanyahu said, stressing the Iranian regime’s support for proxies like the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.
US-Israel Military Cooperation
Netanyhau referenced the Houthis’ drone strike on Tel Aviv last week, which killed one person and injured nine near the American consulate. In response, Netanyahu said he authorized a swift retaliatory action, sending a clear message that “those who attack Israel will pay a very heavy price.”
Netanyahu praised the longstanding military and intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Israel.
He likened Israel’s current struggle to Britain’s during World War II, invoking Winston Churchill‘s appeal to America: “Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.”
Netanyahu said he envisions a post-war Gaza as a demilitarized and deradicalized zone under Palestinian civilian administration, stressing that Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza but must retain security control to prevent future threats.
Netanyahu called for a strengthened security alliance between America and Israel to counter a growing Iranian threat, and thanked Biden for leading a coalition that he said recently neutralized hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones.
“The war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms, and returns all the hostages,” he said. “But if they don’t, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home.
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