The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, his appearance caused considerable strain in the bilateral U.S.-Israel relationship. Netanyahu spent most that March 2015 speech lambasting former President Barack Obama’s negotiating strategy toward Iran, asserting that Washington was foolishly willing to give the Iranians too many concessions on its nuclear program and enlisted Congress as an ally to undermine the diplomatic process. Two hours later, a peeved Barack Obama addressed reporters in the White House, brushing aside Netanyahu’s arguments and observing that he “didn’t offer any viable alternatives.”
Netanyahu didn’t want to pull a similar stunt during this week’s address on Capitol Hill, if only to ensure he would receive the broadest possible support from the lawmakers in attendance. Dozens of them, mostly Democrats but also one Republican, Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, didn’t want to turn themselves into human props for a Netanyahu-style campaign event and stayed away entirely. The majority who did decide to show up were satisfied with what the long-time premier said.
Why they were so satisfied is a mystery because the speech itself was unoriginal and dare I say boring. For those of us who hoped the prime minister would provide more information on how he plans to wrap up the war in Gaza and manage the Palestinian enclave once the fighting stops, the hour-long address was a massive disappointment.
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