ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived at the White House for a high-stakes meeting with President Joe Biden.
The historic summit comes after Netanyahu delivered a fiery speech to Congress, where he warned that “America is next” if the US doesn’t support Israel against the “axis of terror” led by Iran in the Middle East.
President Biden welcomed the Israeli PM to the White House before saying, “We have a lot to talk about. I think we should get to it.”
In his brief remarks to reporters, Netanyahu praised Biden, calling him a proud Irish-American Zionist, and thanked him for his 50 years of support of the state of Israel.
The Israeli leader remains under pressure at home over his handling of the war with Hamas, which has claimed the lives of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has raged since the Palestinian militant group slaughtered more than 1,000 Israelis on October 7.
Biden is expected to be forceful in his closed-door discussion with Netanyahu and urge him to accept a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, according to CNN.
White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Biden was using the meeting to reiterate his calls for a quick resolution between Israel and Hamas.
“The gap is closable. But it’s going to require, as it always does, some leadership, some compromise,” Kirby said.
Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet with families of American hostages held captive in Gaza after their discussion.
Our enemies are your enemies, and our fight is your fight.
Benjamin Netanayhu
During his address to Congress, Netanyahu pushed back against the harsh international criticism his country has endured since the start of the war with Hamas.
The Israeli PM pledged to achieve “total victory” over Hamas and denounced American opponents of the war in Gaza as “Iran’s useful idiots.”
“America and Israel must stand together,” Netanyahu fiercely argued.
“When we stand together, something really simple happens. We win, they lose.
“Our enemies are your enemies, and our fight is your fight. Our victory will be your victory.”
Dozens of Congress members chose to boycott Netanyahu’s visit to the US Capitol, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Harris skipped the Israeli leader’s speech to Congress and instead traveled to Texas for a campaign stop at a sorority.
Republican lawmakers were quick to call out Harris for missing Netanyahu’s speech.
“VPOTUS Harris’s snub of Netanyahu is petty and disrespectful,” Texas Senator John Cornyn wrote on X.
“She doesn’t have many jobs as the vice president. The vice president could be here today if she wanted to,” Alabama Senator Katie Britt said.
“She has chosen not to fulfill her duty.”
Netanyahu and Harris are expected to meet at 4:30 pm on Thursday.
During a March speech, Harris called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The vice president also demanded that the Israeli government do more to supply aid to starving Gaza civilians.
“We have seen reports of families eating leaves and animal feed, children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. Too many innocent Palestinians have been killed,” she added.
During his remarks to Congress, Netanyahu denied the claims from the International Criminal Court that Israeli leadership was withholding aid from reaching Gaza.
“The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense,” the Israeli PM said.
“If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it. It’s because Hamas is stealing it.”
Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC sparked mass protests outside Capitol Hill, where pro-Palestine demonstrators clashed with police, burning Israeli and American flags.
Cops armed with riot gear, batons, and pepper spray protected the ring of metal barriers around Capitol Hill as protestors vowed a “day of rage.”
Video showed a crowd of protestors setting an American flag ablaze outside Washington DC’s Union Station.
The demonstrators were also seen replacing a US flag on a pole with a Palestinian one.
Vice President Harris condemned the burning of the American flag as a “despicable act.”
“Yesterday, at Union Station in Washington D.C. we saw despicable acts by unpatriotic protestors and dangerous hate-fueled rhetoric,” the presidential candidate, 49, said on Thursday.
“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews.
“Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation.
“I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America.
“It should never be desecrated in that way. I support the right to peacefully protest, but let’s be clear: Antisemitism, hate and violence of any kind have no place in our nation.”
At least 17 people were arrested on Wednesday, according to US Park Police and DC Metro cops.
