Israeli Prime Minister In Congress Thanks President Biden: ‘We Will Continue To Work With America And Our Arab Partners To Transform Our Region. Together We Shall Defend Our Common Civilization.’
Despite the controversy and political upheaval in Washington, D.C., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint Congressional session will go down as a key moment in the history of American-Israeli strategic relationship. The Israeli Prime Minister effusively praised President Biden, and former president Trump, reaffirmed the two nation’s shared interests and destiny, and offered a robust defense and appraisal of Israel’s defensive war against terrorism emanating from Hamas and Iran’s proxies in the Middle East.
We will dive deeper later, in follow-up updates, into reactions from individual members of Congress and what this means in the context of U.S. politics. But here’s an initial overview of points in the Israeli Prime Minister’s speech that are important and should be highlighted and that might be lost in the news cycle. Here are our key takeaways:
ISRAEL AND AMERICA
- “Israel will always remain America’s indispensable ally through thick and thin, good times and bad. Israel will always be your loyal friend and steadfast partner,” said the Israeli Prime Minister. “Together we shall defend our common civilization.” He also pledged to work with America’s vision for the Middle East’s future. “We will continue to work with the United States and our Arab partners to transform our region.”
- The Israeli Prime Minister said he was honored to be invited to address the U.S. Congress for the fourth time in his political career. “It is a profound honor to address this great citadel of democracy for the fourth time,” he said.
- “As we defend ourselves on all fronts, I know that America has our back and I thank you for it, on all sides of the aisle. Thank you.”
- He acknowledged that America provided Israel with “generous weapons for decades” and that Israel contributed to American national security.
- “We jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on earth that protect both our countries and we help keep American boots off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East.”
- “May God bless the great alliance between Israel and America forever.”
- PM Netanyahu warmly recalled his forty-year relationship with President Biden and recalled the words “sheer evil” that the President used for Hamas after Oct. 7. The Israeli PM credited the President for deterring a wider war and for coming to Israel “to stand with us in our darkest hour; a visit that will never be forgotten.”
- PM Netanyahu thanked former President Trump for his role in concluding the Abraham Accords, his policy on Iran, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights, and for moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognizing it as the capital of Israel.
IRAN
- The Israeli Prime Minister framed the war in the Middle East in a wider context than just a war between Hamas and Israel and emphasized the bigger stakes for both Israel, America, and their allies in this conflict.
- “Iran’s Axis of Terror confronts America, Israel, and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilization, but a clash between barbarism and civilization,” and between those who glorify death and those who value life, adding, “America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together something simple happens: we win, they lose.”
- “I came to assure you today of one thing: we will win. Like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, October 7 will live in infamy.”
- PM Netanyahu said that Israel is standing in the way of Iran and its proxies taking the war to America’s shores.
- “Which country stands in the way of Iran’s plans? It’s America, the guardian of the Western civilization and the world’s greatest power. That’s why Iran sees America as its greatest enemy. Hezbollah has said this is not a war with Israel; Israel is just a tool. The main war is against America,” he said, quoting a statement by a spokesman of the Lebanon-based militia.
- He reminded American lawmakers that Iran’s proxy in Lebanon killed 241 American soldiers in a terror attack, bombed U.S. embassies in Africa, maimed American soldiers in Iraq, and sent death squads to American soil to kill a former U.S. secretary of state.
- “Standing in Iran’s way is one proud democracy, my country, the State of Israel,” PM Netanyahu said, adding, “that’s why mobs in Tehran chant death to Israel first then death to America, because America is next” if they overcome Israel.
- We are fighting the most dangerous enemy of America, he said, adding, “Iran’s nukes threaten every American city” and concluded, “We are not only protecting ourselves; we are protecting you.”
- “Remember this one thing from this speech: Our enemies are your enemies; our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”
- He quickly added that victory against Iran “is within sight” in Gaza and that this will be a “blow to Iran,” a reference to the weakening of Hamas thanks to Israeli military operations.
AMERICAN AND ISRAELI HOSTAGES & GAZA’S FUTURE
- PM Netanyahu identified Israeli soldiers, rescued hostages and families of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza in the chamber during the address, including an Israeli soldier whose grandfathers came to Israel from Ethiopia, and another soldier, an Israeli Arab and Muslim soldier of Israeli army, the IDF, who fought Hamas attackers on the morning of October 7.
- He said the war in Gaza “could end tomorrow” if Hamas surrendered and released the hostages. “But if they don’t,” he warned, “Israel will fight until Hamas is destroyed and we bring all our hostages home. That’s what total victory means, and we will settle for nothing less.”
- He called for a “demilitarized and de-radicalized” Gaza where Israel will not stay for long but some form of Israeli military presence will be necessary to ensure Hamas does not return to attack Israel again and to ensure that a new Palestinian leadership shapes a new younger Palestinian generation that does not demonize Jews and Israel and believes in coexistence.
- The Prime Minister strongly criticized some of the pro-Palestine protesters who support Hamas.
