Netanyahu vows to press on with war in Gaza until ‘total victory’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded United States-Israeli unity and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to Congress.

The prime minister’s speech sparked boycotts by some top Democrats and drew thousands of protesters to the Capitol to condemn the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that it has created.

Nine months into the war in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu vowed to press on with the war until “total victory”, disappointing hopes by some that the Israeli leader’s visit to the United States could bring some breakthrough in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release.

Speaking to applause from US politicians, and stony silence from others, Mr Netanyahu sought to bolster US support for his country’s fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups.

“America and Israel must stand together,” he said, opening his speech to one of several standing ovations.

“When we stand together, something really simple happens: we win, they lose,” said Mr Netanyahu, who wore a yellow pin expressing solidarity with the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

But the Israeli leader soon pivoted to a darker tone as he derided those protesting the war on college campuses and elsewhere in the US, gesturing to demonstrations happening on the streets outside the Capitol.

He called American protesters of the war as “useful idiots” of Iran.

He drew shouts of applause from many in Congress, but also silence from leading Democrats who declined to stand and cheer.

Freed former hostages of Hamas and families of hostages listened from the House chamber as Mr Netanyahu spoke.

Officials on both sides of the house rose repeatedly to applaud the Israeli leader, while security escorted out protesters who rose to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that leaders close a deal for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

A weeping Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, held a sign in the House chamber that said “war criminal” on one side and “guilty of genocide” on the other.

Ms Tlaib has been one of Mr Netanyahu’s most strident critics in Congress and was censured for her comments last year about the latest Israel-Hamas war.

She has relatives in the West Bank and represents a district in Michigan with many Palestinians.

Mr Netanyahu accused the numerous protesters of the war in the United States of standing with the militants who he said killed babies in Hamas’ attack on October 7.

“These protesters that stand with them, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

Mr Netanyahu — who is frequently accused of wading into US politics in favour of conservative and Republican causes — started his remarks with praise of President Joe Biden.

But he turned to lavishing praise on former president and current presidential contender Donald Trump “for all he’s done for Israel”.

With criticism rising against him in Israel, too, Mr Netanyahu also aims to portray himself as a statesman respected by Israel’s most important ally.

The task is complicated by Americans’ increasingly divided views on Israel and the war, which has emerged as a key issue in the US presidential election.

Tall steel barriers ringed the Capitol on Wednesday and police deployed pepper spray as thousands of protesters rallied near the Capitol, denouncing Mr Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and calling for a ceasefire.

Mr Netanyahu received a warm welcome from House speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican officials who arranged for his speech to happen.

“Today and every day, America must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel,” Mr Johnson said shortly before the Israeli prime minister began speaking.

Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage who was freed in a rescue mission in Gaza, was in attendance.

The appearance makes Netanyahu the first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress four times, surpassing Winston Churchill, who was referenced by Mr Netanyahu.

More than 50 Democrats and political independent Bernie Sanders boycotted Mr Netanyahu’s speech.

The most notable absence was right behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, said a long-scheduled trip kept her from attending.

The next Democrat in line, Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Ben Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as “senator pro tempore” in place of her.

Mr Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Ms Harris on Thursday, and with former president Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

The United States is Israel’s most important ally, arms supplier and source of military aid.

Mr Netanyahu’s visit is his first abroad since the war started, and comes under the shadow of arrest warrants sought against him by the International Criminal Court over alleged Israel war crimes against Palestinians.

The United States does not recognise the ICC.

The Biden administration says it wants to see Mr Netanyahu focus his visit on helping it complete a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release.

Growing numbers of Israelis accuse Mr Netanyahu of prolonging the war in order to avoid a likely fall from power whenever the conflict ends.

Mr Netanyahu has said his aims for the US visit are to press for freeing hostages held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza, to build support for continuing Israel’s battle against the group, and to argue for continuing to confront Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iranian-allied groups in the region.