By In a landmark address to Congress, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, “Our enemies are your enemies,” urging the U.S. to support Israel’s fight against Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu’s speech, his fourth to a joint session of Congress, was marked by enthusiastic support from Republicans and notable absences from many Democrats. Outside the Capitol, thousands protested, some holding signs calling Netanyahu a “wanted war criminal,” referring to an arrest warrant sought by the International Criminal Court.
Netanyahu emphasized the threat posed by Iran, framing the conflict as a battle between civilization and barbarism. He claimed that Iranian proxy forces have targeted American interests and warned that Iran aims to dominate the Middle East. The prime minister’s rhetoric depicted the conflict in Gaza as a critical fight for Israel’s survival and called for accelerated U.S. military aid, likening the need for support to Winston Churchill’s World War II appeal for American assistance.
The speech notably avoided extensive discussion of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, except to assert that food aid is being diverted by Hamas. Netanyahu outlined his vision for Gaza post-conflict, advocating for a demilitarized and deradicalized region under Israeli control with a Palestinian civilian administration.
Many Democrats chose to absent themselves from the speech, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who criticized Netanyahu’s visit as “inappropriate.” During the address, Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib held a sign accusing Netanyahu of “genocide” and “war crimes.”
At home in Israel, the speech was broadcast silently to families of hostages still held in Gaza. The Israeli army announced the retrieval of two hostages’ bodies shortly after Netanyahu’s address, highlighting the ongoing despair among hostage families amid stalled ceasefire negotiations.
The speech comes nine months into Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in over 39,000 deaths, following a devastating attack by Hamas on October 7, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken.
