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CNN Live Event/Special
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Address To Congress. Aired 2-2:30p ET
Aired July 24, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Number one, he wants to stay in power. But number two, he wants to make sure that the United States doesn't stop. I mean, it won't stop the support of the state of Israel anytime soon. You know, probably not ever. But in the short-term, the whole question of providing weapons.
JAMIE GANGEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think what you just said about his being politically astute is correct, although it depends on who the audience is. And you also said, he wants to stay in power. That is his number one target.
I'm very curious to hear if he does reach out to democrats. If you look at the audience, you know, there are a lot of empty seats. And it's not just 80 to 100, any empty seats. Vice President Kamala Harris chose not to preside over this. Nancy Pelosi is not there on the Senate side. Dick Durbin is not there. Patty Murray is not there. This is a big message when you have senior leadership who don't show up.
One other thing I just think is worth mentioning about his trip in general. And that is that politically everybody sort of has a different role here. So President Biden would like to see a deal made. Vice President Kamala Harris is now running for president. She has to do this balancing act of how she interacts with him and what that means for November 5.
And then, of course, he's traveling down to Mar-a-Lago to try to mend his relationship with Donald Trump, which has been warm, very cold. We'll see where that is. But the political undertones for all of these politicians is -- can't be missed in addition to this speech.
BASH: And he's going to try, no doubt, to give another side to the story. And when I say the story, I'm talking about the protests that were seeing right now, more importantly, the protests all through the spring on college campuses. And, you know, maybe the people who are doing those protests are not going to listen. He might -- maybe the message will be one thing, the messenger might be another. But he's going to, no doubt, use this platform to try to push back against not just the policies, but when policy turns into raw antisemitism.
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, certainly that. And antisemitism certainly should be pushed back against. I think you're going to have a dynamic where both sides are fairly dug in here. We obviously see the protests here today going on with his appearance. This has fractured in some ways, the democratic caucus. You've seen young folks really outraged by what they see as the -- just enduring support of bombing civilians, right? They talk about the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have died in this conflict.
And for Kamala Harris who will not be there today, she's at a different event that I think was previously planned. She has to grapple with this. You know, how closely is she tied to Biden's legacy? Do voters particularly young voters in states like Michigan, for instance, and Arab-American voters, do they see her differently than they see Biden? Can she sort of have a different message to this very concerned group of protesters and voters who don't like what they see in terms of America's support of this.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: I want to go to our congressional correspondent, Lauren Fox, up on Capitol Hill. So set the scene for us up there. Give us a sense of what's going on.
LAUREN FOX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Wolf, I just want to point out that the mood up here on Capitol Hill is a bit tense. You know, you have lawmakers who have decided that they want to go into the chamber to listen to this address by Netanyahu who say that they are really on pins and needles as they entertained the room.
I talked to Senator Chris Coons just a few minutes ago, and he told me that he really is hoping that Benjamin Netanyahu avoid the kind of political rhetoric that they saw back in 2015. And he said he does have some assurances that that will be the case. But he said until the speech is over, there's just a lot of eyes on this moment and a lot of concern about what he says in this room.
He and a group of three other Democrats actually sent a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of this address today, really imploring him to do two things, to meet with American-Israeli hostage families while he's in the United States and also to avoid the kind of fiery rhetoric that could --
BLITZER: Hold on a moment, hold on a moment. They just did the gavel. They've introduced the Prime Minister of Israel. I want to listen in a little bit.
MALE: Members of Congress, I now have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you his Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senator Ben Cardin, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, senators, members of Congress, distinguished guests.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for giving me the profound honor of addressing this great citadel of democracy for the fourth time.
(APPLAUSE)
We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran's axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations; it's a clash between barbarism and civilization.
(APPLAUSE)
It's a clash between those glorify death and those who sanctify life.
(APPLAUSE)
For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together.
(APPLAUSE)
Because -- because when we stand together, something very simple happens: We win, they lose.
(APPLAUSE)
And my friends, I came to assure you today of one thing: We will win.
(APPLAUSE)
NETANYAHU: Ladies and gentlemen, like December 7th, 1941 and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy. It was the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. It began as a perfect day -- not a cloud in the sky. Thousands of young Israelis were celebrating at an outdoor music festival, and suddenly, at 6:29 A.M., as children were still sleeping soundly in their beds in the towns and kibbutzim next to Gaza, suddenly Heaven turned into Hell.
Three thousand Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel. They butchered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans. Proportionately, compared to our population size, that's like 20 9/11s in one day. And these monsters, they raped women, they beheaded men, they burned babies alive, they killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents, they dragged 255 people, both living and dead, into the dark dungeons of Gaza.
Israel has already brought home 135 of these hostages, including seven who were freed in daring rescue operations.
(APPLAUSE)
One of those freed hostages, Noa Argamani, is here in the gallery, sitting near my wife, Sara. On the morning...
(APPLAUSE)
On the morning of October 7th, the entire world saw Noa's look of desperation as she was violently abducted to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle. I met Noa's mother, Liora, a few months ago. She was dying of cancer. She said to me "Prime Minister, I have one final wish: I wish to hug my daughter, Noa, one last time before I die."
Two months ago, I authorized a breathtaking commando rescue operation. Our Special Forces, including a heroic officer named Arnon Zamora, who fell in this battle, rescued Noa and three other hostages. (APPLAUSE)
Noa -- I think it's one of the most moving things. When Noa was reunited with her mother Liora and her mother's last wish came true. Noa, we're so thrilled to have you with us today. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
Many hostage families are also here with us today, including Ariel Bibas.
(APPLAUSE)
NETANYAHU: Ariel Bibas is the grandfather of those two beautiful, red- headed boys, the Bibas boys, toddlers. And they were taken hostage with their mother and Noa's -- sorry -- and Ariel's son -- the entire family was taken hostage, two beautiful red-haired children taken hostage. What monsters.
And with us also is Iris Haim, whose son, Yotam, bravely escaped Hamas captivity with two other Israelis, and tragically they were killed making their way back to our lines.
We have with us also the families of American hostages.
(APPLAUSE)
They're here.
(APPLAUSE)
The pain these families have endured is beyond words. I met with them again yesterday, and I promised them this: I will not rest until all their loved ones are home -- all of them.
(APPLAUSE)
As we speak, we're actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release. And I'm confident these -- that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now.
(APPLAUSE)
I want to thank President Biden for his tireless efforts on behalf of the hostages and for his efforts to the hostage families as well.
(APPLAUSE)
I thank President Biden for his heartfelt support for Israel. After the savage attack on October 7th, he rightly called Hamas "sheer evil." He dispatched two aircraft carriers to the Middle East to deter a wider war. And he came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten.
(APPLAUSE) President Biden and I have known each other for over 40 years. I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel and for being, as he says, "a proud Zionist" -- actually he says "a proud Irish- American Zionist."
(APPLAUSE)
My friends, for more than nine months, Israel's soldiers have shown boundless courage. With us today...
(APPLAUSE)
With us today is Lieutenant Avihail Reuven (ph).
(APPLAUSE)
NETANYAHU: Avihail (ph) is an officer in the Israeli paratroopers. His family emigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. In the early hours of October 7th, Avihail (ph) heard the news of Hamas's bloody rampage. He put on his uniform, grabbed his rifle, but he didn't have a car. So he ran eight miles to the frontlines of Gaza to defend his people.
(APPLAUSE)
You heard that right. He ran eight miles, came to the frontlines, killed many terrorists, and saved many, many lives.
(APPLAUSE)
Avihail (ph), we all honor your remarkable heroism.
Another Israeli is with us here today, and he's standing -- stand up -- right next to -- right next to Avihail (ph). This is Master Sergeant Ashraf Falbaheri (ph).
(APPLAUSE)
Ashraf (ph) is a veteran soldier from the Israeli Muslim community of Rahat. On October 7th, Ashraf (ph), too, killed many terrorists. First, he defended his comrades in the military base, and he then rushed to defend the neighboring communities, including the devastated community of kibbutz Be'eri. Like Ashraf (ph)...
(APPLAUSE)
Like Ashraf (ph), the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Druze, Christian and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery.
(APPLAUSE)
A third hero, Lieutenant Asa Solfer (ph), is also here with us.
(APPLAUSE)
Asa (ph) fought as an officer in the tank corps, and he was wounded in battle. He was wounded in battle while protecting his fellow soldiers from a grenade. He lost his right arm and the vision in his left eye. He's recovering. And incredibly, within a short time, Asa (ph) will soon return to active duty as a commander of a tank company.
(APPLAUSE)
I just learned there's a fourth hero here, Lieutenant Jonathan Benhamo (ph), who lost a leg in Gaza and continued to fight.
(APPLAUSE)
NETANYAHU: My friends, these are the soldiers of Israel, unbowed, undaunted, unafraid.
(APPLAUSE)
As the Bible says, (UNTRANSLATED), "They shall rise like lions." They have risen like lions. The lions of Judah. The lions of Israel.
(APPLAUSE)
Ladies and gentlemen, the men and women of the IDF come from every corner of Israeli society, every ethnicity, every color, every creed, left and right, religious and secular. All are imbued with the indomitable spirit of the Maccabees, the legendary Jewish warriors of Antiquity.
With us today is Yuher Lyter (ph), the father of one of those Maccabees. Yuher's (ph) father escaped the Holocaust and found refuge in America. As a young man, Yuher (ph) moved to Israel and raised a family of eight children. He named his eldest son, Moshe (ph), after his late father. Moshe (ph) became an exemplary officer in one of our elite commander units. He served with distinction for two decades, while raising six beautiful children of his own.
On October 7th, Moshe (ph) volunteered to return to combat. Four weeks later he was killed when a booby-trapped mine exploded in a tunnel shaft right next to a mosque.
At his son's funeral, Yuher (ph) said this, "If the State of Israel had not been established after the Holocaust, the image engraved in our collective memory would have been the photograph of that helpless Jewish boy in the Warsaw ghetto, holding his hands up in the air with Nazi rifles pointed at him. But because of the birth of Israel," Yuher (ph) continued, "because of the courage of soldiers like my son Moshe (ph), the Jewish people are no long helpless in the face of our enemies."
(APPLAUSE)
Yuher (ph), please rise so we can honor your son's sacrifice. And I pledge to you and to all the bereaved families of Israel, some of whom are in this hall today, the sacrifice of your loved ones will not be in vain.
(APPLAUSE) It will not be in vain because for Israel never again must never be an empty promise. It must always remain a sacred vow, and after October 7th never again is now.
(APPLAUSE)
NETANYAHU: My friends, defeating our brutal enemies requires both courage and clarity. Clarity begins by knowing the difference between good and evil. Yet incredibly, many anti-Israel protesters, many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapist and murders. They stand with people who came into the kibbutzim into a home. The parents hid the children, the two babies, in the attic -- in a secret attic. They murdered the families, the parents. They find the secret latch to the hidden attic and then they murder the babies.
These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.
(APPLAUSE)
They refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorist and those who target civilians between the Democratic state of Israel and the terrorist dogs of Hamas. We recently learned from the National Security Director -- Director of -- U.S. Director of National Intelligence that Iran is funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America. They want to disrupt America.
So these protesters burn American flags even on the Fourth of July.
