Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the American Congress for the fourth time, breaking Winston Churchill's record of three addresses. Netanyahu, who has had strained relations with American presidents since Clinton, achieved this historic record thanks to the influence of the pro-Israel lobby in Congress. The American Congress has consistently ensured Israel’s security through legal guarantees, not leaving it to the discretion of American presidents' foreign policy initiatives. As Israel’s security has become a cornerstone of Washington’s Middle East policy, Israeli leaders have always tried to legitimize their policies within this framework. Netanyahu's most recent speech was centered on the existential struggle of Israel and how it aligns with American interests. However, the fact that this speech faced more political boycotts and street protests than ever before indicates the discomfort Netanyahu has caused in American politics.
Why Was He Invited?
In his speech, Netanyahu compared the October 7 attacks to the Pearl Harbor attack that triggered America’s entry into World War II. His visit to Washington came just 100 days before the American presidential elections. The timing of the visit was closely related to Congressional Republicans’ efforts to score points against the Biden administration in the election year. Despite being a key supporter of the carnage and ethnic cleansing efforts in Gaza, the Biden administration was behind the scenes in crisis talks with Netanyahu, who declared a ‘red line’ for Israel’s operations in Rafah. Biden had shown his discontent by suspending a very limited number of ammunition shipments. Democrats like Chuck Schumer even called for early elections in Israel. However, when Israel reached a confrontation point with Iran, the atmosphere in Washington shifted rapidly back to a full support policy for Israel.
Congressional Republicans aimed to invite Netanyahu as a show of support for Israel to press Democrats for not providing enough backing. Congress Democrats, who didn’t want to appear unsupportive of the pro-Israel lobby, signed off on the invitation. Despite their issues with Netanyahu’s government, Democrats wanted to send a message that they would not compromise on Israel’s security. Their main concern was clearly not to lose the lobby’s support in the Congressional elections. Netanyahu, who is going through a very tough period in Israel and understands American political balances well, also recognized that a potential Trump presidency could make Democrats more sensitive. Netanyahu seized the opportunity to present himself as the leader who could manage relations with America best, leveraging the support of the pro-Israel lobby in the U.S. political sphere.
Timing and Message Issues
Despite both party leaders signing off on the invitation to Netanyahu, recent dizzying developments in American politics have diminished the visit's significance. Amid the Trump-Biden debate process, the American political agenda has focused on Trump's assassination attempt, Biden’s withdrawal from the race, and Kamala Harris’s candidacy. As Netanyahu boarded the plane, Harris, who quickly entered campaign mode after Biden’s withdrawal, skipped Netanyahu's Congress address, citing her election schedule as an excuse. It was reported that Harris had a closer stance to the Democratic Party’s base on the Palestinian issue. Harris, needing to regain support from young people, blacks, and Muslims, had to keep a distance from Netanyahu. The protest of many progressive Democrats like Bernie Sanders and the harsh criticism from party leaders like Nancy Pelosi clearly exposed the discomfort within the Democratic Party. Harris could not ignore this sentiment.
Netanyahu’s declaration of American youth protesting him as Iran’s ‘useful idiots’ and his attempt to condemn campus protests as antisemitism drew reactions from Democratic Party heavyweights like Pelosi. By raising the issue of protesters burning the American flag, Netanyahu attempted to appeal to Trumpist and nationalist factions among Republicans. This stance attacked the American public’s right to protest. Netanyahu’s claim that the young generation taking to the streets and risking arrest since October 7 was unaware of what they were doing showed either a lack of awareness or disregard for the sentiment within the Democratic Party. It is unlikely Netanyahu is unaware that his arguments—that Iran represents a ‘terror axis,’ Israel is the vanguard in the ‘war between barbarism and civilization,’ and Hamas burns babies alive—have minimal resonance among American youth. The only explanation is that Netanyahu believes that his short-term political gains in Washington outweigh the potential loss of American public and future generations' support. Netanyahu’s speech timing, messages, and reactions illustrate once again how much support for Israel from both parties has eroded.
It would be incorrect to say that the discomfort with Netanyahu is exclusive to the Democrats. For instance, Trump’s release of a letter from Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas just before the visit exemplifies this. By posting the letter condemning the assassination attempt with a handwritten note saying ‘everything will be fine’ on social media, Trump likely sent a message to Netanyahu. Trump, who previously accused Netanyahu of avoiding conflict with Iran, wants to go down in history as the leader who solved the Palestinian issue. Knowing well that Netanyahu does not seek a resolution, Trump is using Abbas’s letter—who has refused to talk to him for years due to Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital—to signal that only he can bring about Israeli-Palestinian peace. Trump is also aware that he needs to pressure Netanyahu to achieve this. If Trump were to regain the presidency, it would signal the crisis created by Netanyahu resisting Trump’s solution formula.
