2024 visit by Benjamin Netanyahu to the United States

In July 2024, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C. to hold meetings with senior officials and deliver a speech to the United States Congress.

Due to Israel's handling of the ongoing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu's visit to the U.S. was met with both political backlash and support.

[5] In response to news of the pending arrest warrant, many U.S. politicians, both Republican and Democratic, reiterated their support of Netanyahu and Israel.

On May 31, Mike Johnson, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, and Hakeem Jeffries all formally invited Netanyahu to speak before Congress.

[6] Ahead of and during Netanyahu's U.S. visit, thousands of anti-war and Pro-Palestine protestors marched across the Washington D.C.[7] The protests led to 23 arrests.

[9] A group called Palestinian Youth Movement released a video to social media showing hundreds of maggots and crickets crawling on a conference table at the Watergate Hotel, where Netanyahu was staying.

[11] Before the address, Netanyahu exchanged gifts with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, a customary tradition.

[12] During his speech, Netanyahu vowed to press forward with the war until reaching "total victory", but stated he would agree to a cease-fire if specific conditions were met.

Netanyahu portrayed the war as “clash between barbarism and civilization”, attacked anti-war protesters as “Iran’s useful idiots”[13] and likened the slogan "Gays for Gaza" to "Chickens for KFC.

[18] Additionally, Netanyahu claimed that during the Rafah invasion, there were "practically no civilian deaths" during several of the IDF's operations, that the war had "one of the lowest ratios of combatants to non-combatant casualties in the history of urban warfare," and "Iran is funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America."

Furthermore, Netanyahu said the ICC's allegation that Israel is starving people of Gaza is "utter, complete nonsense" and a "fabrication."

For several minutes during Netanyahu's address, Tlaib held up a sign that read "WAR CRIMINAL" on one side and "GUILTY OF GENOCIDE" on the other.