Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver a historic speech to the US Congress this week as he comes under heavy pressure to conclude a Gaza war ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Israel’s longest-serving prime minister will on Wednesday become the first foreign leader to address a joint session of the two houses four times – the first being Britain’s Winston Churchill who has done so three times.
But analysts say the Gaza war since Hamas attacks on October 7 has sparked worrying tensions between Israel and the United States, its main military and diplomatic backer. Netanyahu’s office announced he would meet US President Joe Biden on Tuesday.
Washington fears mounting civilian losses in the Gaza Strip, while protests in Israel by families of those held hostage by Hamas are also causing headaches for Netanyahu.
Biden and some Israeli ministers say a deal is possible through Qatar, Egypt and US mediators. A plan outlined in May proposed a six-week ceasefire during which some Israeli hostages would be exchanged for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that negotiators were “inside the 10 yard line and moving toward the goal line”.
Hamas has accused Netanyahu of trying to block the deal, and Blinken said he was “looking forward to finalizing the agreement” while Netanyahu was in Washington.
Double pressure
Israel has stepped up its attacks on Gaza in recent weeks and Netanyahu has insisted that only by increasing military pressure can the hostages be freed and Hamas defeated.
“This double pressure is not delaying the agreement, but rather advancing it,” Netanyahu told troops in Gaza on Thursday.
The Israeli attack on October 7 killed 1,195 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on Israeli figures. Hamas militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, 42 of whom the Israeli military says are dead.
At least 38,919 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s counter-offensive, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-ruled territory.
Publicly, Biden has expressed strong support for Israel. But he expressed concern over the attack on the southern city of Rafah in May and briefly suspended the supply of heavy bombs to Israel. The ban on supplies of 2,000-pound bombs remains in place.
“Never before has the atmosphere been this tense,” said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“There are clearly tensions in the relationship, particularly between the White House and the Israeli prime minister,” Cook said in a commentary.
‘Political rhetoric’
While US Republicans pushed to invite Netanyahu to address Congress, he has lost support among Democrats.
One Jewish senator, Hawaii Democrat Brian Schatz, announced he would boycott Wednesday’s speech, saying he would not “listen to political rhetoric that will do nothing to bring peace to the region.”
When invited back to Congress, Netanyahu said he would present “the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us.”
Cook said Netanyahu’s visit to Washington has two purposes.
First, to show that they have not “undermined” Israel’s relationship with the United States.
Cook said Netanyahu would try to shift the conversation away from the conflict in Gaza and toward the threat posed to Israel and the United States by Iran and its allies.
Much of the attention will focus on whether Netanyahu will meet with Donald Trump or someone close to the Republican presidential nominee.
Despite the tensions, the United States has defended Israel’s interests by playing a key role in mediation efforts, and military ties remain strong, according to officials.
Washington’s support could prove crucial, as Israel faces growing international criticism over the mounting humanitarian losses caused by nearly 300 days of war.
In May, the International Criminal Court prosecutor urged judges to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant. Warrants have also been requested for three Hamas leaders.
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has called for sanctions against the ICC.
The International Court of Justice on Friday found Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal, and called on Israel to prevent any acts of genocide during its offensive on Gaza in February.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
