News Desk :
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his fourth address to a joint session of the United States Congress on Wednesday. His speech aimed to increase support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Demonstrations not only took place outside but also extended into the halls of Congress, proving the deep divisions and strong opposition among some lawmakers and activists.
Netanyahu began his speech by saying the world was at a crossroads of history, facing what he said was “not a clash of civilizations a clash of barbarism and civilization.”
He also said, “America and Israel must stand together.”
“When we stay together… we win, they lose,” Netanyahu said. “I came to assure you, we will win.”
The Israeli prime minister said while his country did not intend to resettle the Gaza Strip, it would continue to have a presence there for the foreseeable future. Netanyahu called for a demilitarized, deradicalized post-war Gaza.
“Gaza should have a Palestinian administration run by civilians who do not seek to destroy Israel,” he said.
Netanyahu added that the “demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza” may lead to “a future of security, prosperity and peace” in the region. “That’s my vision for Gaza,” he said.
Netanyahu called on the United States to fast-track military aid to his country to help end the war in Gaza.
“I deeply appreciate America’s support, including in this current war. But this is an exceptional moment. Fast-tracking US military aid could dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East,” Netanyahu told the US Congress.
“Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster,” he said, echoing British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s famous appeal to the Americans during World War II to be given the tools to finish the job of defeating Nazi Germany.
Netanyahu said Israel would remain an “indispensable” ally, “loyal friend” and “steadfast partner” of the United States “through thick and thin.”
Speaking of Iran, he said, was the “axis of terror” behind almost all sectarian killing in the Middle East. He argued that the United States and Israel “must stand together” against Tehran and its proxies.
“Our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight. And our victory will be your victory,” Netanyahu said to a standing ovation in the House chamber.
Hamas described the comments by Netanyahu as “pure lies” accusing him of thwarting efforts to end the war.
Netanyahu’s comments also disappointed many displaced Palestinians who had hoped for a clearer signal of an imminent end to the fighting, which has laid the overcrowded enclave to waste and created a humanitarian crisis.
“It was depressing, he didn’t even mention ceasefire at all, not even once,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a resident of Gaza City, now displaced in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Thousands of demonstrators angry over the war in Gaza marched on the US Capitol on Wednesday during Netanyahu’s speech.
A group of protesters burned Netanyahu in effigy, along with American flags — a raucous end to a mostly peaceful march that also drew families, children and the elderly, as well as concerned citizens from thousands of miles away.
Crowds carrying Palestinian flags and signs ranging from left-wing slogans to Bible verses gathered near the Capitol calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the arrest of Netanyahu, as prosecutors seek a warrant for him at the International Criminal Court.
At a rally before the march, Palestinian and Jewish organizers stood on a stage and denounced both the United States and the Israeli government for “genocide,” calling for a “citizen’s arrest” of Netanyahu.
“Many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers,” Netanyahu said referring to anti-Israel protesters. “These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.”
“For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now, outside this building,” he said.
Netanyahu said Iran was funding anti-Israel protests and accused the protestors of being “Iran’s useful idiots.”
Relations between Washington and Israel have strained as the civilian death toll in Gaza has grown, leading to protests in the United States and criticism from President Joe Biden, although little has changed in the way of US military support.
Israel has killed 39,175 people in Gaza offensive since October 7, Gaza’s Health Ministry has said. A total of 30 Palestinians have been killed and 146 wounded in the past 24 hours, it said in a statement.
