NEW DELHI: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuamid the ongoing war with Hamaswill soon address the US CongressHouse speaker Mike Johnson announced Thursday during his keynote speech at the Israeli embassy’s annual Independence Day reception.
“We will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said, adding that the visit would mark “a very strong show of support to the Israeli government.”
Meanwhile, Johnson’s announcement is likely to further anger some progressive Democrats who have been critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Biden’s support for it.Netanyahu has closely aligned himself with Republicans, and the diplomatic gathering in Washington comes amid strains between Biden and Netanyahu over a US push for Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in the war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Additionally, Democratic US Representative Pete Aguilar reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel’s sovereignty.
Johnson and Aguilar both condemned the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s decision to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defense chief, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders responsible for the deadly October 7 cross-border attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.
Johnson further took a veiled swipe at Biden, saying “some leaders” have sought to withhold “vital weapons” from Israel, although the flow of weapons has mostly continued.
“We will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said, adding that the visit would mark “a very strong show of support to the Israeli government.”
Meanwhile, Johnson’s announcement is likely to further anger some progressive Democrats who have been critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Biden’s support for it.Netanyahu has closely aligned himself with Republicans, and the diplomatic gathering in Washington comes amid strains between Biden and Netanyahu over a US push for Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in the war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Additionally, Democratic US Representative Pete Aguilar reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel’s sovereignty.
Johnson and Aguilar both condemned the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s decision to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defense chief, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders responsible for the deadly October 7 cross-border attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.
Johnson further took a veiled swipe at Biden, saying “some leaders” have sought to withhold “vital weapons” from Israel, although the flow of weapons has mostly continued.