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Washington -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is acceptable to talk to a associated gathering of Congress connected Wednesday amid precocious tensions implicit U.S. enactment for Israel's warfare against Hamas successful Gaza and tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians killed.
Netanyahu was invited to talk chiefly by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been severely captious of President Joe Biden's effect to the war, including pausing a shipment of ample unguided U.S. bombs owed to concerns astir civilian casualties. Republicans person pushed back, saying that pausing that shipment violates Israel's close to support itself.
Netanyahu's 2 p.m. code comes arsenic the premier curate has truthful acold rejected Biden's connection for a cease-fire that would escaped the hostages Hamas inactive holds -- arsenic portion of a larger determination bid plan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a memorial work for erstwhile Sen. Joseph Lieberman, July 24, 2024, astatine the Washington Hebrew Congregation, successful Washington.
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
Exactly what Netanyahu volition accidental to lawmakers is unclear, but his sojourn besides comes amid home governmental turmoil for some him and Biden, and questions astir however Biden's caller lame-duck presumption volition impact his quality to marque immoderate advancement connected ending the fighting, fixed his already fraught narration with the Israeli leader.
Protesters occupied parts of the U.S. Capitol connected Tuesday up of the speech, and household members of immoderate of the hostages person been fixed impermanent tickets to be by Rep. Ilhan Omar, 1 of dozens of Democrats -- including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib and Sens. Dick Durbin and Patty Murray -- who are boycotting the speech. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders besides volition not attend. Protests were expected again Wednesday.
Johnson has threatened to person anyone who tries to disrupt the code arrested.
Vice President Kamala Harris volition not beryllium sitting down Netanyahu successful the vice president's seat arsenic she customarily would successful her capableness arsenic president of the Senate, arsenic she volition beryllium attending a run lawsuit successful Indianapolis instead.
"The thought that they're making governmental calculations erstwhile our state is successful specified dire straits warring for its precise endurance and warring backmost against the horrific onslaught of Oct. 7 is unconscionable to us," Johnson said Tuesday of Harris' absence.
The White House said Harris and Biden volition conscionable with Netanyahu separately connected Thursday instead. Former President Donald Trump said helium volition conscionable with Netanyahu connected Friday astatine Mar-a-Lago.
Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, a stalwart Israel protagonist who is retiring, volition instrumentality Harris' spot connected the House dais.
Large-scale anti-Israel protests successful enactment of the Palestinian origin this past outpouring connected assemblage campuses and crossed the state dominated U.S. authorities for months and forced Biden to modify his erstwhile full-throated enactment for the U.S. ally.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed connected the Senate level Wednesday that helium volition beryllium attending Netanyahu's address.
"Even though I disagree with galore of Bibi Netanyahu's policies, I volition be the code due to the fact that the United States narration with Israel remains ironclad and transcends immoderate premier curate oregon president, and we indispensable bash each we tin to get our hostages home," helium said.
In March, Schumer called connected Israel to clasp caller elections, saying astatine the clip that helium believed Netanyahu had "lost his way" and is an obstacle to bid successful the portion amid the increasing humanitarian situation successful Gaza. Netanyahu criticized Schumer astatine the clip for his remarks.
New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Netanyahu critic, volition be his speech, saying successful a statement, "Out of respect for the State of Israel and the bureau of the Prime Minister, I program to be tomorrow's associated address."
Congress sent $26 cardinal successful assistance to Israel and provided humanitarian alleviation for radical successful Gaza successful April arsenic portion of a overseas assistance package.
About $4 cardinal of that was dedicated to replenishing Israel's rocket defence systems. More than $9 cardinal of the full went toward humanitarian assistance successful Gaza.
Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu attended a memorial work for Sen. Joe Lieberman, a longtime protagonist of Israel, who died successful March.
ABC News' Mariam Khan and Lauren Peller contributed to this report.
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