Benjamin Netanyahu goes to Washington


Staff reporter , Published: July 24, 2024, 8:07 am

Benjamin Netanyahu goes to Washington

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, will make his first address to Congress in four years today. The timing is far from ideal: He faces anger at home over the war in Gaza and his failure to free the hostages held by Hamas, while Washington is preoccupied by its own upheaval and divided over how Israel is conducting the war.

Netanyahu hopes to rehabilitate his image on the world stage — at least for his audience back home, where he is in a constant battle for political survival. But some experts suggested that he was practically the only person who saw any importance in his U.S. visit. “Nobody is focused on this,” one analyst said.

Harris: Citing a scheduling conflict, the vice president will not be present for Netanyahu’s address. She plans to meet with him privately this week at the White House, an aide said. Her remarks before and after their conversation will be closely watched for signals about how she might deal with Israel if elected president.

Trump: The former president, who often calls himself the staunchest ally of Israel to ever sit in the Oval Office, is set to meet with Netanyahu in Florida on Friday.