A defiant Netanyahu vows to stay the course; hits ‘useful idiots’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Capitol Hill on Wednesday with a rallying cry meant to appeal to Democrats and Republicans alike, but he showed little inclination toward a rethink of his much-criticized approach to the months-long conflict in Gaza.

Speaking to a joint meeting of Congress, the lightning rod prime minister offered words of praise to both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — while expressing outright defiance toward those critical of his approach to combating Hamas and suggesting he’ll continue to trust his instincts as he forges ahead.

“When we stand together, something very simple happens: we win, they lose,” he said.

Netanyahu heaped blame on the Islamist regime in Iran for many of the perils his country faces, sharply criticized U.S. protesters opposing the war, and spoke of a future Gaza that is “demilitarized and deradicalized.” He called for ongoing support from the United States, saying that Israel is on the frontlines of a battle against terrorism that affects American citizens.

But he chose words underscoring his desire to maintain solid relations with the U.S. regardless of which party controls the White House after the 2024 election. He thanked Biden for coming to Israel “to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten.” And he thanked Trump for “all the things he did for Israel” during his first term in office.

Notably, Netanyahu did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris — the likely Democratic presidential nominee.

Netanyahu is set to meet with Biden and Harris on Thursday before visiting Trump in Florida on Friday.

It seems certain Netanyahu’s remarks won’t result in any major shifts in support — either among Republicans, who’ve staunchly backed his approach to the war, or many Democrats already fiercely angry over it.

“Netanyahu’s speech to Congress falls short, as have his actions since taking office, and I’m calling on him to resign immediately,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who attended the speech, said afterward.

In a sign of the evolving politics around Israel, roughly half of congressional Democrats skipped the speech — and most of those who did attend dashed out of the chamber before Netanyahu had even departed. House Democratic leaders and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stood at points throughout the remarks, but did not rise as frequently as others in their party.

During the speech, Netanyahu accused Hamas of smearing Israel in the media so that Israel will be “pressured to end the war before it's won. This would enable Hamas to survive another day, and has been vowed to carry out Oct. 7 again and again and again,” he said.

Speaking to receptive lawmakers, Netanyahu made clear: “I want to assure you, no matter what pressure is brought to bear, I will never allow that to happen.”

While Netanyahu’s address is a major moment for Israel as it battles Hamas, it has also been overshadowed this week by the political tumult in the United States, with Biden having dropped out of the 2024 race just days earlier. The speech was likely to fall lower on people’s screens later Wednesday as Biden planned to make his first address to the nation since quitting the presidential race.

The speech marks Netanyahu’s fourth address to a joint meeting of Congress, the most of any foreign leader and a symbol of the tight U.S.-Israeli relationship. It also is arguably his most contentious one, not just due to frustration among Democrats over how he’s handled the war in Gaza but also lingering resentment over how he used his appearance in 2015 to attack then-President Barack Obama’s Iran policy.

These and other moves — especially his emphatic overtures to Trump — have led many Democrats to see Netanyahu as a pro-Republican Israeli leader. This perception has stuck despite his occasional preaching of the importance of having a good bipartisan relationship with Washington.

Netanyahu also spoke amid ongoing tensions between him and Biden over Israel’s conduct in the war, which has killed an estimated 39,000 Palestinians — a number that includes militants.

The Biden administration has been pressuring him to wind down the military operations against Hamas and agree to a cease-fire deal. (The U.S. also is pushing Hamas to stop fighting.) Netanyahu has at times defied the White House’s wishes, including its repeated requests that Israel allow in more humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Biden has not been forceful enough for many who feel the U.S. should be tougher with Israel over civilian casualties.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the lone Palestinian American in Congress, attended the speech and held up a sign that read “war criminal” on one side and “guilty of genocide” on the other at several points in the speech. A member of staff approached her and asked Tlaib to put it down, which she did.

Tensions were high outside of the Capitol as well. Thousands of protesters gathered outside barriers to bash the prime minister’s approach to the war in Gaza, while others released maggots and rang fire alarms at the hotel where the Israeli delegation stayed ahead of his address.

Netanyahu took aim at those protesters critical of him and his government during his remarks, saying “they should be ashamed of themselves” for standing alongside terrorists and that “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.”

The Israeli leader received a warm reception from hundreds of the lawmakers who attended the speech, with many offering raucous applause and cheers throughout the address.

Netanyahu denied reports that Israel has blocked humanitarian assistance to the territory and targeted civilians.

“The heroic soldiers of Israel should not be condemned for how they're conducting the war in Gaza. They should be commended for it,” Netanyahu said.

But many of Netanyahu’s assertions throughout the address, including his insistence that Israel has not restricted humanitarian aid, are heavily contested by aid organizations, the United Nations and others. They are often difficult to verify independently in part because Israel has severely restricted journalists’ access to Gaza.

The remarks in front of American lawmakers also come as Netanyahu struggles politically at home, with far-right ministers he needs to keep his government afloat often undermining him.

Netanyahu argued that when Israel is fighting the Iran-backed groups Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas, it is taking on a shared enemy.

"For decades, America has provided Israel with military assistance, Israel has reciprocated with intelligence that saved many lives, jointly developed some of the most sophisticated weapons on earth and helped keep American boots off ground while protecting shared interests," he said.

The prime minister also nodded to his accusations that the U.S. is withholding arms for Israel. The Biden administration has paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, over concerns about the possibility for civilian harm.

“Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster,” he said.

Joe Gould contributed to this report.