Ten Quotes from Netanyahu’s Address to Joint Meeting of Congress

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a 53-minute speech to a joint meeting of U.S. Congress on Wednesday that covered Israel’s perilous past nine -and-a-half months. Among the many topics he covered were the barbarity of the Oct. 7 attacks, calling attention to the remaining hostages in Gaza and recognizing rescued hostage Noa Argamani seated in the House Gallery, U.S. military aid, and commemorations to the bravery of several Israel Defense Forces soldiers.

The full speech can be watched at the YouTube video below. But here’s a list of ten of the hardest-hitting quotes from Netanyahu’s speech.

Iran’s Useful Idiots

“For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building — not that many, but they’re there — and throughout the city. Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”

An F in Geography

“These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about. They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history. They call Israel a colonialist state. Don’t they know that the Land of Israel is where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prayed, where Isaiah and Jeremiah preached and where David and Solomon ruled?”

Calling out the International Criminal Court

“The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication. Israel has enabled more than 40,000 aid trucks to enter Gaza. That’s half a million tons of food, and that’s more than 3,000 calories for every man, woman and child in Gaza. If there are Palestinians in Gaza who aren’t getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking it, it’s because Hamas is stealing it.”

Iran’s Ultimate Goal

“In the Middle East, Iran is virtually behind all the terrorism, all the turmoil, all the chaos, all the killing. And that should come as no surprise. When he founded the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini pledged, ‘We will export our revolution to the entire world. We will export the Islamic revolution to the entire world.’ Now, ask yourself, which country ultimately stands in the way of Iran’s maniacal plans to impose radical Islam on the world? And the answer is clear: It’s America, the guardian of Western civilization and the world’s greatest power. That’s why Iran sees America as its greatest enemy.”

Total Victory Over Hamas

“The war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms and returns all the hostages. But if they don’t, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home. That’s what total victory means, and we will settle for nothing less.”

Day One After Hamas is Defeated

“The day after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza can emerge. My vision for that day is of a demilitarized and de-radicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza. But for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”

Long-Term Vision for Gaza After Hamas

“Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That’s not too much to ask. It’s a fundamental thing that we have a right to demand and to receive. A new generation of Palestinians must no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live in peace with us. Those twin words, demilitarization and de-radicalization, those two concepts were applied to Germany and Japan after World War II, and that led to decades of peace, prosperity and security.”

Gratitude for President Joe Biden

“All countries that are in peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance. We saw a glimpse of that potential alliance on April 14. Led by the United States, more than half a dozen nations worked alongside Israel to help neutralize hundreds of missiles and drones launched by Iran against us. Thank you, President Biden, for bringing that coalition together. The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords. Those Accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries, and they were supported by Republican and Democrats alike. I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it: The Abraham Alliance.”

Gratitude for former President Donald Trump

“I want to thank President Trump for his leadership in brokering the historic Abraham Accords. Like Americans, Israelis were relieved that President Trump emerged safe and sound from that dastardly attack on him, dastardly attack on American democracy. There is no room for political violence in democracies. I also want to thank President Trump for all the things he did for Israel, from recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, to confronting Iran’s aggression, to recognizing Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American embassy there. That’s Jerusalem, our eternal capital never to be divided again.”

A Call for Bipartisanship and Democracy

“My dear friends, Democrats and Republicans. Despite these times of upheaval, I’m hopeful about the future. I’m hopeful about Israel because my people, the Jewish people, emerged from the depths of hell, from dispossession and genocide, and against all odds we restored our sovereignty in our ancient homeland, we built a powerful and vibrant democracy, a democracy that pushes the boundaries of innovation for the betterment of all humanity.”