Netanyahu to soon address US Congress: House Speaker

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 May 2024 10:54

US House Speaker Mike Johnson says hosting Netanyahu shows a "very strong show of support to the Israeli government."

Demonstrators display a placard and chant slogans during a protest in Boston on May 21, 2024. (AP)

US Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon address the US Congress in person.

"We will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress," Johnson said, noting that it would be "a very strong show of support to the Israeli government."

This follows a mere 10 days after Netanyahu lashed out during a recent meeting with his security cabinet, according to Axios.

"We are not a vassal state of the United States!" sources quoted him as saying during the meeting.

His comments were described as a "rant" over US President Joe Biden's warning to "Israel" that a major attack on Rafah would cross a "red line" for US support.

During that meeting, Netanyahu compared his clash with Biden over Rafah to what he described as "Israel's declaration of independence in 1948" when David Ben Gurion declared "Israel's" so-called independence despite alleged objections from then-US Secretary of State George Marshall.

Netanyahu also referenced his speech to Congress in March 2015, where he voiced opposition to former US President Obama's efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran. This speech had allegedly strained relations between the US and "Israel" and had drawn criticism from many Democrats.

At the "American Israel Public Affairs Committee" (AIPAC) in March, Netanyahu called out Biden for the statements he's made, such as the IOF having killed too many civilians, Netanyahu hurting "Israel" by obstructing a Palestinian state, and the matter that he should allow the Palestinian Authority to run Gaza.

Netanyahu burst out, saying, "You cannot say you support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself and then oppose Israel when it exercises that right... You cannot say you support Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas and then oppose Israel when it takes the actions necessary."

Netanyahu is not new to American politics after having been buddy-buddy with four US presidents and the Republican party and taken advantage of the military and diplomatic alliance no one else can do.

This may insinuate Netanyahu possibly going to the US to beg senators and lawmakers to stop the International Criminal Court from issuing an arrest warrant against him.