Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday addressed a joint session of the US Congress amid the war with Hamas in Gaza. This is the tenth address of an Israeli Prime Minister to Congress and Netanyahu's fourth, surpassing British Prime Minister Winston Churchill for the most by a single foreign leader.
"Mr. Speaker I want to thank you for the honor of addressing this great citadel of Democracy for the fourth time. We meet today at a crossroads of history, our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran's axis of terror confronts America, Israel, and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations, it's a clash between barbarism and civilization. It's a clash between those who glorify death against those who sanctify life. For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together!" Netanyahu opened.
"When we stand together, something very simple happens: we win - they lose. My friends I came to assure you today, we will win!" he declared.
He related: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Like December 7th, 1941 and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will live in infamy. It was the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, it began as a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky. Thousands of young Israelis were celebrating at an outdoor music festival. And suddenly at 6:29 a.m., as children were still sleeping soundly in their beds in the towns next to Gaza, suddenly Heaven turned into Hell. 3,000 Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel. They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans. Proportionately, that's like 20 9/11s in one day.
"These monsters, they raped women, beheaded men, burned babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents. They dragged 255 people, both living and dead, into the dark dungeons of Gaza. Israel has already brought home 135 of these hostages, including seven who were freed in daring rescue operations. One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery sitting near my wife, Sara.
"On the morning of October 7th, the entire world saw Noa's look of desperation, as she was abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle. I met Noa's mother, Liora, a few months ago, she was dying of cancer. She said to me: 'Prime Minister, I have one final wish: I wish to hug my daughter Noa one last time before I die. Two months ago, I authorized a breathtaking commando rescue operation. Our special forces, including a heroic officer named Arnon Zmora, who fell in this battle, rescued Noa and three other hostages. It was one of the most moving things, when Noa was reunited with her mother Lior, and her mother's last wish came true. Noa, we're so thrilled to have us with you today!
"Many other hostage families are here today, including Eliyahu Bibas, the grandfather of those two beautiful red-headed boys, the Bibas boys, toddlers, and they were taken hostage. With their mother and Eliyahu's son, the entire family was taken hostage. Two beautiful, red-haired children, were taken hostage. What monsters!
"With us also is Iris Haim, whose son Yotam bravely escaped Hamas captivity with two other Israeli hostages and were tragically killed making their way back to our lines."
Netanyahu also acknowledged the families of American hostages and declared: "I will not rest until their loved ones are home, all of them!"
He continued: "I want to thank President Biden, for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts for the hostage families as well. I thank President Biden for his heartfelt support of Israel after the savage attack on Israel on October 7th."
Netanyahu noted: "For the past nine months, Israel's soldiers have shown boundless courage. With us today is Lt. Avichail Reuven, an officer in the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade. His family immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. In the early hours of Oct. 7th, Avichail heard the news of Hamas' bloody rampage. He put on his uniform and grabbed his rifle, but he didn't have a car, so he ran eight miles to the front lines of Gaza to defend his country. We all honor your remarkable heroism."
The Prime Minister also acknowledged Ashraf al-Bakhiri, a Bedouin soldier from Rahat who on October 7th, killed many terrorists, defending his base and nearby communities. "Like Ashraf, the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Druze, Christian, and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery," he stated.
Netanyahu also pointed out Lt. Asa Sofer, a tank officer who lost a hand and vision in his eye while protecting his soldiers from a grenade, and will soon return to duty as a commander of a tank company, as well as Lt. Jonathan Ben-Hamo who lost a leg and continued to fight. "My friends, these are the soldiers of Israel: unbound, undaunted, unafraid! They will rise like lions, they have risen like lions, the lions of Judah, the lions of Israel!" he proclaimed.
The Prime Minister acknowledged Yecheil Leiter, whose son, Moshe, fell in battle in Gaza. He addressed the bereaved families and promised: "The sacrifice of your loved ones will not be in vain!"
The Israeli-American Council stated ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before Congress on Wednesday, "Today, the State of Israel will become the only country in the world whose leaders have addressed joint meetings of the United States Congress 10 times, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will become the first foreign leader to address that forum four times, exceeding Winston Churchill’s record of three such speeches. This remarkable history reflects the unique and exceptional bond between the United States and Israel. The powerful alliance between these two great countries was forged by the Judeo-Christian values on which they were built, strengthened through a deep spiritual resonance between each nation’s sense of purpose, and further reinforced by mutual interests and common threats that drove the two societies ever closer. America has no better friend than Israel, and Israel has no better friend than America."
"The Israeli-American Council (IAC) proudly celebrates this special occasion and extends our welcome to Prime Minister Netanyahu and his delegation from Israel, which includes families of hostages held in Gaza and a hostage rescued from Gaza. We applaud Congress’ strong bi-partisan support for Israel, especially in this time of peril, and express our deepest gratitude to Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for inviting the Prime Minister and for their strong support of the Jewish People. Most of all, we thank God that both countries continue to be beacons of light and decency in our troubled world," the IAC stated
