This week’s visit to the US by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents palpable tension. The relationship between the two old politicians, Joe Biden and ‘Bibi’, is a boldface question mark and now come the public scenes. How will House Speaker Mike Johnson act? Donald Trump? The Republican party, Democratic party? Political activists, dissidents, protestors?
(July 18 / NYT) Yair Lapid, the leader of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, has called on Mr. Netanyahu to cancel his speech to Congress on July 24 unless he planed to announce an agreement.
At a briefing in Washington on Wednesday, a State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, told reporters that, given the scale of Palestinian suffering in Gaza, reaching a cease-fire agreement was an “urgent priority.”
Some Democratic lawmakers have said they plan to skip Mr. Netanyahu’s speech in Congress to signal discontent with his government. And the speech has highlighted the divides over Mr. Netanyahu’s leadership at home.
A group of 500 Israeli academics sent the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican who had invited Mr. Netanyahu, a letter this week asking him to disinvite the prime minister, saying he “has demonstrated his indifference to the ongoing hell endured by the hostages.” And while some relatives of the hostages planned to travel to the United States to protest the address to Congress, others are expected to accompany the prime minister.
Onto the World Stage, Into History
Who wants to make any predictions on how the trip and the Israeli prime minister’s planned speech to the US Congress will turn out?
Will the US president’s campaign still be active when the speech to the US commences?
Will the attacks on the president’s 2024 campaign – and presidency – from within and without, calling for him to consider leaving the race for health reasons persuade Biden, before Netanyahu’s presentation, become a moment etched in history? The calls to step back have increased daily since his debate performance. Will he?
The political leader of Israel has made Israel’s relationship with Donald Trump a priority, this is a known known. Few commentators cannot overlook these political moves by Netanyahu and Israel’s actions have become as a front stage issue confronting both countries, one that tied the two countries together in another war, a war with deep damage.
The war in Gaza, and beyond, rages and expands. This week’s International Court of Justice decision and previous criminal culpability decisions for the war and illegal settlements in Palestine (the ‘occupied territories’) are headlines around the world.
What will Israel and the US do in response? What will Netanyahu say to the US Congress? And will he ask of the American people? How will Jewish lobbying groups, prominent political funders/supporters of Donald Trump and Trump’s presidential campaign act and react?
One thing is certain —
There will be no repeat performance of airport arrival hug as Netanyahu gave Biden when the president last visited Israel in October 2023
AP / Press Pool
July 19, 2024
Top U.N. Court Says Israel Violates International Law in Occupation of Palestinian Territories
International Court of Justice finds Israel’s occupation of Palestine illegal
International Criminal Court opinion will weaken global support for Israel
Israeli finance minister responds by calling for annexation of West Bank
International Court of Justice finds Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories in breach of law
Court says Israel’s occupation of territories amounts to long-term annexation which has undermined the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination
