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Israel will be the United States’ strongest ally in the Middle East...
Israel will be the United States’ strongest ally in the Middle East
Before heading to Washington on Monday, Netanyahu declared: Israel will be the United States’ strongest ally in the Middle East, regardless of who is elected president in November.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington to deliver a speech before the US Congress.
This, Netanyahu's first visit to his most important international ally since returning for a record sixth term as prime minister at the end of 2022, has been overshadowed by President Joe Biden's decision not to seek re-election.
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Netanyahu also said that he would thank Biden for everything he has done for Israel throughout his career and would discuss with him issues such as securing the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, defeating the Palestinian Hamas movement, and confronting Iran and its proxies in the region.
A meeting with Biden is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday if the 81-year-old president recovers from the coronavirus. Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday.
“I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless of who the American people choose to be their next president, Israel remains America’s strong and indispensable ally in the Middle East,” he told reporters before taking off.
“In this time of war and uncertainty, it is important for Israel’s enemies to know that America and Israel stand together today, tomorrow and always,” Netanyahu said, adding that he wanted to “solidify the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel.”
After months of frosty relations with Washington over the way Israel carried out its assault on Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, the visit provides Netanyahu with a platform to try to reset relations with Washington.
His speech to Congress is expected to focus on coordinating the Israeli and American response to the turbulent situation in the Middle East, where the risk of the Gaza war spilling over into a broader regional conflict is growing.
The speech is likely to be less confrontational than the speech Netanyahu gave to Congress in 2015, when he criticized Barack Obama's campaign as president to reach a nuclear deal with Iran.
Levant News
