Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver a speech in the US Congress on Wednesday, July 24th, seeking to strengthen American support for Israel and the Gaza War.
The White House announced on Wednesday that President Biden will host Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss the developments in Gaza, progress on ceasefire and hostage release agreements, and the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, including addressing Iran’s threats to Israel and the broader region.
Following their meeting, Biden and Netanyahu will meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas, as announced by the White House.
Later on Wednesday, Netanyahu will address the US Congress. Vice President and Senate Majority Leader Kamala Harris will not attend the Israeli Prime Minister’s speech but is scheduled to meet with him on Thursday.
Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump announced on Tuesday that he will meet with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
On Tuesday, US House Speaker Mike Johnson sent a letter to House members stating, “Due to concerns raised by the Prime Minister’s speech, there will be an increased presence of law enforcement officers around the Capitol building and House chamber.”
“For the benefit of all parties involved, we will have a zero-tolerance policy for any disturbances in the building,” he said.
Capitol Police confirmed a few days ago that they would increase security with assistance from external agencies for this highly guarded event.
Johnson urged members of Congress to “kindly inform their guests” that disrupting the proceedings is against the rules and “offenders may face charges.”
The Speaker added that if any disruptions occur, law enforcement will remove the disruptive visitors from the gallery and make arrests.
In October 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched attacks on Israel and sent armed individuals to infiltrate Israeli communities, resulting in a massacre that claimed around 1,200 lives and hundreds taken hostage. Israel subsequently launched a campaign in Gaza to eradicate Hamas.
As the conflict persists, calls for a Hamas ceasefire have escalated. Several Democratic lawmakers have stated that they will not attend Netanyahu’s congressional speech to express their opposition to the war.
(This article contains references from reports by “The Hill”.)