1/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s war in Gaza and condemned American protesters as “Iran’s useful idiots” in his speech to a joint session of Congress. Netanyahu portrayed the war in Gaza as a “clash between barbarism and civilization” and declared “we will win,” saying: “Our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight. And our victory will be your victory.” Since the Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and another 250 taken hostage, Israeli strikes in Gaza have since killed an estimated 39,090 Palestinians and injured another 90,147. Nearly all 2.3 million Gazans have been internally displaced. More than 50 congressional Democrats declined to attend the speech in protest of Netanyahu’s handling of the war. Republicans, meanwhile, criticized Harris’s decision not to attend and preside over the joint session of Congress in her role as president of the Senate. Although she was attending a previously scheduled gathering of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta in Indianapolis, Republicans nevertheless called it a “disgrace” and accused her of putting politics above the Israel-U.S. relationship. Republicans, however, did not attack JD Vance, who also had a prior commitment and did not attend. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / ABC News)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/07/24/day-1282/