In addition to all the other goings-on on Capitol Hill, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday afternoon. While a significant number of congressional Democrats “boycotted” the speech, Netanyahu received a hot welcome from the members of Congress in attendance. The standing ovation he received as he entered the House chamber lasted three or four minutes, and his nearly hour-long speech was frequently punctuated by applause.
Netanyahu spoke about the horror that befell his country on October 7. He paid tribute to the hostages, including Noa Argamani, who was present at the speech. He paid tribute to the Israeli soldiers who sacrificed life and limb for their country. It was a well-written, well-delivered speech that should appeal to most, except those who have hardened their hearts against Israel and the Jewish people.
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But toward the end of Netanyahu’s remarks, I was struck by how much more he seems to understand and appreciate America than many of its own citizens, including those who refused to attend the conference and those protesting outside the Capitol. After condemning the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and stressing that “there is no place for political violence in democracies,” Netanyahu added:
My dear friends – Democrats and Republicans – despite these times of upheaval, I am hopeful for the future. I am hopeful for Israel because my people, the Jewish people, have risen from the depths of hell, from dispossession and genocide, and against all odds, we have restored our sovereignty in our age-old homeland. We have built a forceful and vivid democracy – a democracy that is pushing the boundaries of innovation for the benefit of all humanity.
I am hopeful for America because I am hopeful for Americans. I know how much the people of this country have sacrificed to defend freedom. America will continue to be a force for featherlight and good in a gloomy and perilous world. For free peoples everywhere, America remains the beacon of freedom that its extraordinary founders envisioned in 1776.
I am confident that by working together, our two nations will defeat the tyrants and terrorists who threaten us both.
You can watch the full video of Netanyahu’s remarks below, but it begins with the part I quoted.
