Here is a link to Netanyahu’s full speech: https://www.jns.org/full-text-of-netanyahus-speech-to-joint-session-of-congress/
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — In a nationally televised address to a joint meeting of Congress, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his vision for Gaza and the Middle East region after the current war is over.
Drawing on post World War II history, after Germany and Japan were defeated by the U.S. and its Allies, he said that Gaza should be “demilitarized” and “deradicalized.”
“Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza but for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror to insure Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel,” he said from the rostrum of the House of Representatives as its Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, and the Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin, sat behind him.
Netanyahu wore a pin with conjoined American and Israeli flags on one lapel of his suit, and a yellow ribbon pin symbolizing the desire to bring Israeli hostages home.
“Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel — That is not too much to ask!” Netanyahu said to bipartisan applause. C-Span cameras scanning the crowd paused on Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), who was wearing a Palestinian kaffiyeh. During the speech, she held up signs saying “war criminal” and “guilty of genocide.” Otherwise, she stayed disapprovingly silent throughout his hour-long address.
Pro-Palestinians demonstrated outside the Capitol, some flying the Hamas flag. Netanyahu described them as Iran’s “useful idiots” who were aligning themselves with rapists and murderers. He said to applause that they should be ashamed of themselves.
“A new generation of Palestinian must no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live in peace with us,” the Israeli Prime Minister said. “Those two words, ‘demilitarization’ and ‘deradicalization’ — those two concepts were applied to Germany and Japan after World War II and that led to decades of peace, prosperity, and security. Following our victory with the help of regional partners, the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza can also lead to a future of security, prosperity, and peace. That’s my vision for Gaza.”
Looking out at the chamber from which more than three dozen Democratic lawmakers had absented themselves — including San Diego’s Rep. Sara Jacobs, who is the youngest Jewish woman in Congress — Netanyahu said he also had a vision for the broader Middle East.
“It is also shaped in part by what we saw in the aftermath of World War II,” he explained. “After that war, America forged a security alliance in Europe to counter the growing Soviet threat. Likewise, America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in the Middle East to counter the growing Iranian threat.”
Earlier in his speech, he said the threat from Iran comes from proxies Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and from Iran itself, as was seen last April 14 when Iran launched without serious impact hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel.
Netanyahu suggested that “all countries that are at peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance.
“We saw a glimpse of that potential alliance on April 14,” he added. “Led by the United States, more than half a dozen nations worked alongside Israel to help neutralize hundreds of missiles and drones launched by Iran against us. Thank you, President Biden for bringing that coalition together.
“The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu continued. “Those accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries and it was supported by Republicans and Democrats alike. I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it the Abraham Alliance. I want to thank (former) President Trump for his leadership in brokering the historic Abraham Accords.”
Earlier in his speech, Netanyahu had thanked President Biden for his “heartfelt support for Israel” and approvingly quoted the Democratic President as calling himself “a proud Irish-American Zionist.”
Now Netanyahu took the opportunity to praise former President Trump, the Republican party nominee for President. “Like Americans, Israelis were relieved that President Trump emerged safe and sound from that dastardly attack on him, dastardly attack on American democracy,” he said, referring to the recent assassination attempt in which a bullet nicked Trump’s ear. “There is no room for political violence in democracies,” Netanyahu declared.
“I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel, from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights to confronting Iran’s aggression to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American Embassy there,” Netanyahu said. “That’s Jerusalem, our eternal capital, never to be divided again.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, who normally would have occupied a place above the dais in her capacity as President of the Senate, was on the campaign trail as was Republican Senator J.D. Vance, the Republicans’ vice presidential candidate.
President Biden and Vice President Harris — whom Democrats have all but chosen to be his successor — have a meeting scheduled on Thursday with the Israeli Prime Minister. Former President Trump will meet at his Mar-a-Lago home with Netanyahu on Friday.
In a televised address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, Biden explained that he had wanted to remain in office, but felt passing the torch to a younger generation — meaning Harris — would serve the country better. In the six months remaining in his term, he said he would continue pressing for his policy priorities, including a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing the Hamas-held hostages home.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.
Bibi said, “Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel — That is not too much to ask!”
He’s right. That is not too much to ask.
But is it too much to expect?
Good luck finding the Gazans who prioritize building Gaza over destroying Israel.
Commentary received by email on Netanyahu’s speech:
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida) said:
“Prime Minister Netanyahu rightly recognized the overwhelming support the Biden-Harris Administration and bipartisan Members of Congress provided Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7th attack. He underscored the utter horror of that day and how Israel needs to protect itself and end the terror threat posed by Hamas. I was also glad to hear the Prime Minister enunciate the need for a post-war plan in Gaza, including civilian governance, demilitarization and deradicalization, as well as our mutual interest in confronting Iranian sponsorship of terror against both our nations. I also appreciated his focus on both the need to bring the remaining hostages home, and our shared interest to confront the rising scourge of antisemitism worldwide. When I escorted him to his speech, I urged the Prime Minister to continue to work and affirm his commitment to achieving the Biden-Harris peace framework and secure the release of the hostages, including eight Americans. Unfortunately, I left his speech still seeking more details on what his plan is to deliver on those goals, and thought it was unnecessary for him to inject comment on U.S. domestic politics. Securing a lasting peace deal that brings the hostages home and ending the terrorist threat that lives on Israel’s doorstep is paramount.”
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Beth Miller, Political Director, Jewish Voice for Peace:
“Netanyahu’s speech was a nauseating display of genocidal racism and lies. But let’s be clear: today revealed the demise of the bipartisan consensus on Israel. Over 130 Democrats boycotted Netanyahu’s speech. In a desperate attempt to make this authoritarian leader appear popular, seats were filled with guests, rather than elected officials. The far-right agenda of groups like AIPAC that seek to back Israel’s crimes against humanity are growing more toxic by the day, and the will of American voters who want a human-rights centered foreign policy is breaking through.”
Keep making Orwell proud.