Netanyahu's speech: Congress applauds and AIPAC pays
There are big differences between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first three Congress speeches and the fourth one that he recently delivered as his war on Gaza approaches its 10th month.
The first difference appeared in the Israeli public sentiment, where Netanyahu transformed from a crowned king whose rivals could not undermine his monopoly, to a problematic figure who convinced the majority of the Israeli public to demand the downfall of his failed administration for the longest war fought by Israel since its establishment.
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As for the United States itself, Netanyahu turned from an active, effective and beloved leader who united the superpower behind his leadership, to an active and effective element in provoking a division within the US political and partisan class and dispelling the consensus on the Gaza war. This political division was evident by the empty seats of 120 Democratic Congress members who objected to his mere invitation. Outside Congress, the flag of Palestine rose high, with protesters denouncing Netanyahu and his genocide, calling on the US administration to stop its political and financial support for the war, a scene reminiscent of the strong popular uprisings against the Vietnam War in the last century.
Netanyahu came to his loyal Congress, but this time he arrived wounded and bleeding, stirred by the million demonstrations against his leadership before and during the Gaza war, and by fierce demands for a cessation of the war.
He arrived with mountains of corruption cases on his shoulders. Had it not been for the war, he would have been sent to prison long ago. On top of that, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has provided an explicit and decisive condemnation of Israel's occupation and illegal settlements, along with its systematic exploitation of the Palestinian people and their inalienable human, historical and political rights. This is in addition to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which convicted him as a war criminal and is now awaiting his prosecution and punishment.
His fourth speech was arranged behind the backs of the Democratic administration to contribute to the undermining of Biden and the success of Trump. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent a hefty amount to make it the largest demonstration in support of the Republican campaign before President Joe Biden's resounding fall in the crucial debate. Netanyahu was there to deliver the fatal blow to the already weakened president.
During the speech, it was clear that Netanyahu's warm reception was the result of many filled pockets, as is usual for events organised by the AIPAC, and that the applause and standing ovations after every empty sentence were eclipsed by a small sign raised by Rashida Tlaib, with the words "war criminal" on one side and "guilty of genocide" on the other.
The small sign was more honest than the exaggerated applause, simply because it wasn't paid, and because it stood out as a symbol of morality amid a sea of Israeli criminality in front of the world's cameras.
This was a show by Netanyahu—an insult to the US, portraying it as a small Israeli settlement, a vehicle dragged by Zionist horses. Netanyahu explicitly said that Israel is the one who protects the US and not the other way around, and that the American people who demonstrated against the Israeli war of genocide in Gaza are just groups of rogue mercenaries. The calamity is that the representatives of the American people clapped for these insults. Everything is welcome as long as Netanyahu speaks and the AIPAC pays.
Netanyahu knows all this; he is an expert on US politics and its fluctuations, but he does not care about what he knows, especially as he is fighting his last battle.
The US, in this battle, is just a bottomless fuel tank for his authoritarian aspirations. He prepares for the day the Democrats will leave the White House and looks forward to the Republicans and their leader Trump making a comeback, despite his belief that what the Democrats gave him in this war was the most generous of all that was presented to Israel by previous administrations.
Netanyahu, for purely personal reasons, longs for Trump's leadership, who gave him the deal of the century with all its consequences and tragedies, without even checking a word of its details.
This situation will not halt the momentum of popular American progress towards a balance, but it will inevitably benefit Israel and its illegal occupation and settlements. Despite this, Congress and administrations are influenced by considerations of votes and funding, so the American people, who have demonstrated and protested against the war, still have the opportunity to steer towards their goal. Ultimately, it is through the support of the people that battles are won, even those of the Palestinian people.
Yousef SY Ramadan is the ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh.
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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