From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Netanyahu says anti-Israel protesters funded by Iran, standing with Hamas rapists
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says “never again must never be an empty promise.”
“After October 7, never again is now,” he tells Congress.
“Incredibly, many anti-Israel protesters, many choose to stand with evil,” he says. “Many stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists.”
“They should be ashamed of themselves,” he says.
Netanyahu points out that Iran is “promoting and funding” anti-Israel protests in America. He salutes the fraternity members who defended a US flag from protesters, to chants of “USA.”
“For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protesters” outside the Capitol right now.
When the tyrants of Iran — who hang gays from cranes — are funding and promoting you, “you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu says as the GOP cheers.
He mocks protesters’ “Gays for Gaza” signs. “They might as well hold up signs, Chickens for KFC.”
He says that the protesters don’t know what river and what sea they are chanting about.
Meanwhile, Rashida Tlaib holds up a black-and-white sign that reads “war criminal” and “guilty of genocide” as Netanyahu discusses the Jewish people’s ancient connection to the land of Israel.
Denouncing those who Israel a colonial state, he says they don’t know their history. “For nearly 4,000 years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It has always been our home; it will always be our home,” he says.
Netanyahu blasts the rise of antisemitism on campuses and across the US.
He castigates the heads of elite US universities, including his alma mater, who failed to speak out definitively against calls for genocide on their campuses.
“Whenever and wherever we see the scourge of antisemitism, we must condemn it and fight it,” he says.
“Don’t be fooled when the blood libels about the Jewish state” come from “those in fancy robes” who talk about justice, he warns.
He blasts Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor, for accusing Israel of starving Gazans — calling the charge a complete fabrication.
If Palestinians in Gaza are not getting enough food, it’s not because Israel is blocking. It’s because Hamas is stealing it,” he says.
He also points out all the IDF has done to warn civilians, while “Hamas does everything in its power to put Palestinian civilians in harm’s way.” He says Hamas shoots civilians trying to leave the war zone.
“For Israel, every civilian death is a tragedy. For Hamas, it’s a strategy” to end the war.
He says Hamas wants to carry out October 7 “again and again and again.” No matter the pressure,” he says, “I will never allow that to happen.”
The Times of Israel Community.