Netanyahu's American Tour: A summary of the Israeli prime minister's speech at Congress and visits with U.S. leaders

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu completed an American tour this week, making visits with members and leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties, beginning with an address to the U.S. Congress followed by meetings with President Biden and Vice President Harris and The White House, and a follow up visit to see former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

The Israeli prime minister’s meeting with Trump marked the first time for the first time he met with the former president in almost four years.

Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday

Netanyahu’s American tour began with a speech to Congress in which he made his case to continue the war in Gaza until all Israeli hostages who were kidnapped during Hamas’ Oct’ 7 terror attack were freed.

The prime minister told Congress the world was not witnessing a clash between civilizations as some have said, but rather a “clash between barbarism and civilization,” adding that, “we meet today at a crossroads of history.”

The former Israeli Defense Forces commando urged that “America and Israel must stand together,” and that if Israel and the United States continue to stand together, "we will win.

Netanyahu thanked President Biden, the American people for their support and military aid after the terror attacks on Israel.

“Thank you, America,” and expressed gratitude to the fraternity brothers who raised the American flag during an anti-Israel protest at the University of North Carolina while shouting, “U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”

He then praised the “boundless courage" the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for their courage and told the story of an IDF soldier who attended the congressional address, explaining that he ran eight miles to Gaza on the morning of Oct. 7 “to defend his people.”

Netanyahu also expressed criticism for those Americans who had sided with Hamas.

“Useful idiot” demonstrators, Netanyahu argued, were helping Tehran’s efforts against America and the free world.

He even highlighted protestors who held “Gays for Gaza” signs, which he likened to “Chickens for KFC.”

Vice President Kamala Harris did not preside over the joint session in her capacity as Senate president because she was at a campaign event in Indiana but did meet with him and at The White House.

Netanyahu’s visit to The White House on Thursday

After his Wednesday address at Congress, Netanyahu met President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House Thursday afternoon, where the three leaders discussed the possibility of finding a solution to a ceasefire agreement.

“We’re closer than we’ve ever been,” one senior administration official told CNN. “It’s up to the Israelis to accept it.”

The national news network said the meeting was of critical importance for both leaders and the Democratic Party in the upcoming presidential elections, which are scheduled for this November.

“A resolution to end the Israel-Hamas war that began in October now looms large over Biden’s legacy as a one-term president. Progress in the negotiations for a ceasefire have come in fits and starts in recent months, and Biden and his senior national security officials have been closely involved in trying to land the deal,” CNN reported.

Shortly before the meeting started, Netanyahu thanked the president for his decades of support for Israel, saying, “From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel.”

Biden also mused about his age, saying “That’s how far back it goes. I was only 12 then,” but then quickly relayed the importance of resolving the conflict in Gaza.

“Biden expressed the need to close the remaining gaps, finalize the deal as soon as possible, bring the hostages home, and reach a durable end to the war in Gaza,” a readout published by the White House read. “The President also raised the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the need to remove any obstacles to the flow of aid and restoring basic services for those in need, and the critical importance of protecting civilian lives during military operations.”

Shortly after the meeting with Biden, Vice President Harris met separately with Netanyahu, telling the prime minister she had “serious concern” about the impact that Israel’s offensive in Gaza was having on Palestinian civilians.

“I’ve said it many times, but it bears repeating: Israel has a right to defend itself, but how it does so, matters,” Harris told journalists after the two met. The vice president said she told Netanyahu that “the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians.”

Those words drew some criticism from Israel defenders such as former Ambassador John Bolton who said on CNN Friday that, “she was very icy in her demeanor, showed strong discipline there, and her words were a clear signal.” 

The former ambassador then took aim at the Democratic Party’s current positions on Israel.

“Harry Truman should be turning in his grave now, because the Democratic Party’s very special relationship with Israel I think has disappeared, and I think a Harris administration would be a whole different world in U.S.-Israeli relations.” 

Netanyahu’s visit to Mar-a-Lago on Friday

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump met with Netanyahu met for the first time in almost four years on Friday at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago. The meeting marked a significant attempt by both leaders to rebuild a relationship that deteriorated after Biden won the 2020 presidential elections.

During his presidency, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and recognized sovereignty over the Golan Heights, but Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on his victory in the 2020 elections.

Trump criticized Netanyahu’s bipartisan approach to U.S. foreign diplomacy in January 2021, but Friday's meeting at Mar-a-Lago was seen as an attempt by both leaders to reconcile their positions.

Trump has been clear in his position to end the war in Gaza, criticizing the management of the conflict and the lack of effectiveness in public relations.

In his Tuesday speech to Congress, Netanyahu praised Trump for reaching normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with the Abraham Accords Declaration, but also thanked Biden for the ongoing support of his administration.

For Netanyahu, reaching out to both parties is crucial for Israeli policy and security, but for both Harris and Trump, the meetings were undoubtedly an important issue for many in terms of how they view the candidates’ presidential campaigns and positions on Middle East policy.