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In Congressional Address, Netanyahu Slams American Protesters and Receives Standing Ovation

The Israeli leader asked for more US military aid and called for a new anti-Iran alliance in the Middle East

anti-war.com by Dave DeCamp July 24, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday delivered an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday and spent a good portion of his speech attacking Americans who have been protesting Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.

Netanyahu accused the pro-Palestine protesters, which include many Jewish Americans, of being pro-Hamas and “standing with evil” and said they should be “ashamed of themselves.” The majority of the lawmakers in the chamber responded with a standing ovation.

He also repeated unsubstantiated claims that Iran was funding the protests in the US. “They want to disrupt America,” Netanyahu said, referring to Iran. “For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building … well, I have a message for these protesters. When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting, and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”…………………………

A small number of Democratic lawmakers did not stand up to applaud Netanyahu during much of his speech, and about half of the Democrats in the House and Senate skipped the address. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only Palestinian American in Congress, attended and was spotted holding a sign that said “war criminal.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) didn’t attend and slammed Netanyahu after the address, calling his speech “the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.”………………….

Overall, however, Netanyahu received strong support, and Congress gave him a big public relations victory by frequently standing up and applauding him. The address and its reception also demonstrated the strong US support for Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.

In the address, Netanyahu asked for the US to provide even more military aid than it has and called for a new anti-Iran alliance in the Middle East. “I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it the Abraham Alliance,” he said.

The Israeli leader also said Israel must maintain indefinite “security control” over Gaza, meaning a long-term military occupation. He thanked the US and Congress for the strong support and thanked President Biden for being a “proud Irish American Zionist.”…………..more https://news.antiwar.com/2024/07/24/netanyahu-slams-american-protesters-in-congressional-address-receives-standing-ovation/

July 28, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Israel, politics international, USA