BEnjamin Netanyahu wanted Israelis to leave with a distinct impression: in his nation’s hour of peril, he is the only prime minister who can lead it on the world stage. In a joint speech to Congress on Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister fought for his political life and proclaimed Israel’s war in Gaza as a fight for its own survival.
In a flurry speech, Netanyahu defended Israel’s offensive against Hamas, the terrorist group that invaded southern Israel and massacred around 1,200 people; he criticized the millions of protesters who accused Israel of war crimes and called for an end to its military campaign; he called on lawmakers to provide more military aid to the Jewish state; and presented a vision, however vague, for a post-war Gaza.
It was a highly choreographed political performance. For Netanyahu, a shrewd salesman of himself, it was an opportunity to convince his compatriots that he can manage the US-Israel relationship better. To that end, he argued that the United States has an interest in Israel’s war. “This is not a clash of civilizations,” he said. “It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization.” By fighting Hamas, he added, Israel was weakening Iran, a sworn enemy of the US. “America and Israel must remain united,” Netanyahu said. “When we are together, something very simple happens. We win, they lose.”
For many Americans, it’s not that simple. About 70 Democratic congressmen boycotted the speech, an increase from the 58 who skipped Netanyahu’s 2015 speech criticizing the Iran nuclear deal, the last time Netanyahu accepted a clandestine invitation from a Republican president, against the wishes of a Democratic president. Given that the vice-presidents often preside in the joint sessions of Congress, the most obvious absence was Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate; she is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday. Some found other ways to express dissent. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, held a sign that read “War Criminal” as Netanyahu spoke.
But while Netanyahu made an appeal to Washington lawmakers, his most important audience was at home. His Crater Research Numbers – He Holds 32% pass rate-It is shrinking wartime cabinet increased the possibility of new elections. Approximately 72% think that Netanyahu should resign about the October 7 massacre, according to one poll, but they are divided on the timing: 44% say he should resign immediately, 28% say when the war ends. Given this vulnerability, Netanyahu hopes that a rousing speech in D.C. can bolster his support in Israel. At the same time, he adds to his historic stature: Wednesday was his fourth speech to Congress, surpassing Winston Churchill’s record for the most by any foreign leader.
Netanyahu also had other reasons. With Donald Trump leading in most national polls, he has embarked on a mission to repair his damaged relationship with the former President. The two have not spoken since Trump left office. In an April interview, Trump told TIME that he had a “bad experience” with Netanyahu, pointing to a U.S. operation to assassinate a top Iranian general that was supposed to be a joint attack until Netanyahu backed down. He also blamed Netanyahu for failing to prevent Hamas infiltration into Israel. “Bibi Netanyahu was rightly criticized for what happened on October 7,” he said. “It happened on his watch.”
In his speech, Netanyahu thanked Trump for “all the things he did for Israel” as President, such as recognizing Jerusalem as his capital and moving the US embassy there. He condemned his assassination attempt, saying he was relieved that Trump “emerged safe and sound from that cowardly attack on him, from that cowardly attack on American democracy.” On Friday, Netanyahu will meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
Outside the House chamber, Washington was wracked by mass protests. Authorities closed streets around the Capitol as thousands of people demonstrated against Netanyahu, demanding an end to the war that has killed some 39,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Police used pepper spray on some people in the crowd.
The scene was reminiscent of last spring, when pro-Palestinian protesters occupied American universities campuses. Netanyahu punished the protesters for siding with Hamas terrorists who murdered innocent Israelis and committed barbaric acts such as rape. “These protesters are with them,” he said. “They should be ashamed of themselves,” calling them “Iran’s useful idiots.” The moment revealed fault lines in the Capitol: Republicans stood and applauded while most Democrats remained in their seats.
Netanyahu’s biggest request was for the US to accelerate a new batch of military aid, saying it would speed Israel’s ability to end the war and avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East. Many in Israel fear that the Jewish state will need more assistance before the U.S. elections but will not get it. Although most members of Congress are pro-Israel, Republicans have become increasingly isolationist – with a large faction wanting to avoid foreign entanglements – and many Democrats remain critical of Israel’s war effort. “I know that America has our backs,” Netanyahu said. “I appreciate that – all sides of the aisle.”
Addressing one of diplomats’ most salient concerns, Netanyahu outlined the contours of Israel’s end game, what he called a “demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza” that would allow Israel to maintain security control of the coastal enclave without resettling any of its own civilians there. . Netanyahu provided few details about how he would manufacture this result, or whether the Palestinians and the Arab world would accept it. “Gaza should have a civilian administration that does not seek to destroy Israel,” he said. “That’s not too much to ask.”
Such a statement is unlikely to appease the Biden Administration, which has stated that the war should result in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. Nor will it quell the ongoing progressive uprising against the Israeli government. But for Netanyahu, it was a message he believes will resonate in Israel, where voters could soon decide his fate.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
