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Netanyahu will speak to a joint session of the House of
Representatives and the Senate, House Speaker Mike Johnson and
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
"I am very moved to have the privilege of representing Israel
before both Houses of Congress and to present the truth about
our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the
representatives of the American people and the entire world,"
Netanyahu said in the statement.
Netanyahu's visit comes amid tensions between him and U.S.
President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel's campaign in Gaza
but has recently been more critical of its tactics and withheld
shipment of some bombs.
It was not immediately clear if Netanyahu would meet with Biden
during his U.S. visit.
Biden's support for Israel has emerged as a political liability
for the president in the run-up to November's elections, with
some Democrats and voters furious over the thousands of civilian
deaths in Gaza.
Republicans have also criticized Biden for his position on the
war, saying he is not doing enough to help Israel.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a separate
statement that he had joined in making the invitation to
Netanyahu.
"I have clear and profound disagreements with the prime
minister, which I have voiced both privately and publicly and
will continue to do so," Schumer said. "But because America’s
relationship with Israel is ironclad and transcends one person
or prime minister I joined the request for him to speak.”
Hamas attacked Israeli territory last Oct. 7, killing around
1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to
Israeli tallies. About half the hostages were freed in the
November truce.
Israel in response launched a military assault on Gaza that has
since killed more than 36,000 people, according to health
officials in the territory, who say thousands more dead are
feared buried under the rubble.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb and Costas Pitas; Editing by Michael
Perry)
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