Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Parliament on July 24 in what is expected to be a controversial speech at a crucial time for Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas.
Knesset leaders confirmed the date of the speech late on Thursday after formally inviting Netanyahu to speak before lawmakers last week.
It is the latest show of wartime support for a longtime ally, despite growing political tensions over Israel’s military attacks on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“The existential challenges we face, including growing alignment between Iran, Russia and China, threaten the security, peace and prosperity of our nations and free people around the world,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in the letter.
“To build our enduring relationship and underscore American-Israeli solidarity, I invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, fighting terrorism, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
Netanyahu’s address to a deeply divided parliament is sure to be controversial and is likely to be met with plenty of protests from lawmakers inside the parliament building and anti-Israel protesters outside.
And it will bring into sharp focus growing election-year divisions within the party over the prime minister’s prosecution of the months-long war against Hamas.
Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States and a scathing critic of Netanyahu in March, said in a separate statement Thursday night that while he has “clear and deep-rooted differences” with the Israeli leader, he supported the request to speak because “the relationship between the United States and Israel is strong and goes beyond any one person or prime minister.”
Other Democratic lawmakers critical of Netanyahu’s tactics are not expected to appear at the speech.
“Netanyahu is a war criminal. I will never attend,” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Netanyahu’s visit to the Capitol comes as relations between President Joe Biden and the Jewish state’s leadership have become increasingly strained in recent months.
Biden has privately and publicly criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war and criticized the Israeli government for not allowing more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Biden unveiled a proposed agreement to end the fighting in Gaza last weekend, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to accept the deal.
Many Israelis are urging the president to accept the terms, but his far-right allies have warned they would walk away from the coalition if he does.
That would expose Netanyahu to new elections, possible investigations into the security failures that led to the war and, if he loses his premiership, potential prosecution on long-standing corruption allegations.
The first phase of the agreement, which Biden said would last six weeks, includes a “full and total ceasefire,” the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all populated areas of Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of many hostages, including women, elderly and wounded.
The second phase would include the release of all remaining hostages, including male soldiers, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The third phase calls for beginning the massive reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which will take decades to recover from the devastation caused by war.
Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that a ceasefire in Gaza is “not attainable” until long-standing conditions are met. war These proposals go unmet and are likely to weaken what Biden described as Israel’s proposals.
Many Democrats who have supported Israel since the start of the war say whether they will attend Netanyahu’s speech depends on whether he accepts the impending peace deal.
Johnson initially suggested inviting the Israeli prime minister, saying it would be “a great honour to be able to do so.” In a press release on Thursday, Johnson said Netanyahu had accepted the invitation.
“I am deeply moved by the honor of representing Israel in both houses of Congress and to convey to the American people and representatives of the entire world the truth of our just war against those who seek to destroy us,” Netanyahu said, according to the statement.
