More than 100 Congress members listened intently as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reflected on 292 days of war between Israel and Hamas, a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of more than thousands Palestinians and worldwide protests, including in the nation capital this week. Despite calls for a ceasefire right outside the convening, and a visibly disturbed Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the first and only Palestinian serving in Congress, the Israeli leader was adamant in continuing to defend his nation.
“The hands of the Jewish state will never be shattered,” Netanyahu said passionately in earlier moments of the address. “Israel will always defend itself.”
With dismal hopes for a ceasefire, he affirmed that Israel’s efforts should be strongly supported by the United States, which he referenced as “the guardian of the Western Hemisphere.” He promised that a win for one would be a win for all.
“Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight and our victory will be your victory,” Netanyahu asserted.
Since the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack by Hamas, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have bombed schools, churches and hospitals in search of the group’s officials. Netanyahu has been a proponent of the 75,000 tonnes of explosive dropped on the Gaza strip, formerly considered a safe zone with weapons supplied by the U.S.
Many believe these airstrikes are being motivated by efforts to eradicate the Palestinian people and take more of their land, in effect, creating a one state solution to decades of conflict and violence.
“Netanyahu’s apartheid regime has already slaughtered over 39,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 15,000 children—targeted with 355 bullets, shot in the head by Israeli snipers, burned to death in their tents with U.S.-made weapons, bombed while playing at school, deliberately starved to death, and Palestinians are bombed in refugee camps and discovered in mass graves, naked and with their hands tied, all live-streamed for the world to see,” said Tlaib.
She was disappointed by congressional leaders’ willingness to pose with the Israeli prime minister despite the violence happening in Palestine.
“These are undeniably war crimes under international law. Make no mistake: this event is a celebration of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. It is a sad day for our democracy when my colleagues will smile for a photo op with a man who is actively committing genocide,” Tlaib said.
Netanyahu Mocks Protests, Congressional Leaders Praise Adress
During the joint address Tlaib sat by herself with the Palestinian Keffiyeh draped around her shoulders. In her hand she held a sign that read, “Guilty of Genocide” on the front and “War Criminal” the back.
At one point Netanyahu made fun of her and protestors chanting “Gays for Gaza” by stating it might as well say, “Chickens for KFC ” prompting Tlaib’s peers to ream with laughter.
“I will never back down in speaking truth to power,” Tlaib wrote in a post on X later adding “Palestinians will not be erased. Solidarity with all those outside of these walls in the streets protesting and exercising their right to dissent.”
In response, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called her an “absolute disgrace” and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC-1) referenced her as “Iran’s Useful Idiot” among an influx of other comments. Their fellow party members shared similar sentiments and stood in support of Netanyahu.
“I thought it was a great speech,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) told the Informer.
Many of the Georgia Republican’s colleagues also appreciated the speech, chanting, “U-S-A” at certain points of the speech where Netanyahu attributed Israel’s success to U.S. support and alliances. He proudly stated that together the two have “jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on earth.”
Despite celebrating the partnership, Netanyahu emphasized he’d like more to be done to defeat Hamas.
“Get us the tools faster and we will finish the job faster,” he told the crowd. “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home. That’s what total victory means. And we will settle for nothing less.”