Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to the US Congress on Wednesday (24) – seeking to shore up American support for his war in Gaza and redirect the attention of a nation that has been preoccupied for weeks with a range of domestic political issues.
Netanyahu’s speech to Congress comes at a crucial juncture in the war. U.S. officials have expressed optimism about the prospects for a deal that could free hostages held by Hamas and end the conflict. Meanwhile, most of the country’s attention has been focused over the past month on discussions about President Joe Biden’s age and mental abilities — which eventually culminated in Biden announcing over the weekend that he would step down from the Democratic ticket — along with the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention.
It also comes at a time when many on the left are increasingly dissatisfied with Netanyahu’s handling of the war, which has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians and left Gaza in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Some members of Congress have said they will not attend Netanyahu’s speech, either in protest of the war or because of previously scheduled events.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the Democratic presidential nominee, will not preside in her constitutional role as Senate president during Netanyahu’s speech; Harris will be in Indianapolis on Wednesday and is expected to meet separately with Netanyahu later this week.
Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, also declined to preside over the speech.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said he would not attend the speech to protest the “all-out war” the Netanyahu government has waged in Gaza.
“No. Netanyahu should not be welcomed into the United States Congress,” Sanders said in a statement. “On the contrary, his policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution must be roundly condemned.”
Biden is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday (25).
Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu has grown increasingly frosty as the war in Gaza has dragged on and the death toll in the besieged enclave continues to rise. The two leaders have known each other for decades but have traded barbs as their differences over the future of the war have become public.
Biden said Israel had achieved its stated goal, described the country’s actions in Gaza as “overreaching” and made clear his desire for the war to end. The US president said it was “unclear” whether Israel had committed war crimes. He also suggested he believed Netanyahu was prolonging the war solely for the sake of his own political survival.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, accused the United States of “withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel,” claims that American officials have categorically rejected.
After arriving in Washington earlier this week, Netanyahu met with some American family members of hostages held by Hamas. Not everyone in attendance was pleased with how the meeting ended.
Former President Donald Trump and Netanyahu will also meet on Friday at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump announced Tuesday (23).
Source: CNN Brasil
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