The Israeli prime minister is expected to address Congress despite growing anger over his government’s abuses in Gaza.
Top US lawmakers have issued a formal invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver a speech to Congress, in the latest show of support for Israel amid the war in Gaza.
The invitation from Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives on Friday came as the International Criminal Court considers issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.
“To build on our lasting relationship and highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision to defend democracy, combat terrorism, and establish a just and lasting peace in the region,” the letter said.
He did not specify a date for the speech.
I am honored to invite Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak at a joint meeting of Congress. pic.twitter.com/rYKx0Z1p93
– Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) May 31, 2024
The letter was signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
If he accepts the invitation, Netanyahu will surpass the late former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as the foreign leader who has given the most speeches to a joint session of Congress.
Churchill – who led his country during World War II and helped defeat Nazi Germany – and Netanyahu addressed Congress on three separate occasions.
Netanyahu has faced global outrage over Israel’s apparent abuses in Gaza, where the Israeli military has killed more than 36,000 people and destroyed large parts of the territory.
Israel also imposed a strict blockade on Gaza, bringing the territory to the brink of famine.
Netanyahu’s government defied its Western allies, including the United States, this month by launching a major attack on Rafah in southern Gaza, where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians were sheltering. The offensive displaced a million Palestinians.
An Israeli bombing of a displacement camp in Rafah earlier this month killed 45 Palestinians and sparked international outrage.
But the US Congress remains staunchly pro-Israel, although some Democrats have increasingly criticized Netanyahu.
In March, Schumer called for new elections in Israel and described Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace, citing the Israeli prime minister’s opposition to the two-state solution.
Congress’s invitation on Friday provoked the ire of Palestinian rights advocates. Actress Cynthia Nixon called it “disgraceful” in a social media post directed at Schumer.
“Perhaps Netanyahu could be arrested for his war crimes on the Senate floor,” she wrote.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden outlined a proposal that he said would lead to a “lasting” ceasefire in Gaza.
The three-phase plan calls for the release of Israeli prisoners in the territory, as well as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, Biden said.
The initiative, which Biden said was presented by Israel, marks a change in the US administration’s position, which was only seeking a temporary truce while supporting Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas.
“President Biden understands that letting this war drag on well beyond his election is not going to be something that really works for him politically,” Palestinian-American analyst Omar Baddar told Al Jazeera.
“It’s incredibly expensive and damaging for him, and I think that’s why he’s putting his foot down right now and putting enormous pressure on Israel to accept the ceasefire agreement.”
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
