Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. Republican senators on Wednesday that Israel will continue its efforts to defeat the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, senators told reporters after he addressed a party lunch.
“He’s going to do what he said he’s going to do. He’s going to finish it,” Senator Jim Risch said.
The conservative Israeli leader spoke to Republicans via videolink nearly a week after the Senate’s Democratic majority leader, Chuck Schumer, gave a Senate speech branding Netanyahu an obstacle to peace and urging new elections in Israel.
Wednesday’s meeting underscored the politicization of Washington’s Israel policy. Netanyahu has long been aligned with Republicans, who accuse Schumer of seeking to overthrow the Israeli leader.
“We asked … him for an update and we got it on the war, on the release of the hostages and in the efforts to defeat Hamas. We told him Israel has every right to defend themselves and he said that’s exactly what they continue to do,” Senator John Barrasso said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told reporters he was thinking of inviting Netanyahu to address Congress, although such invitations to foreign leaders would normally be extended by both Johnson and Schumer as Senate majority leader.
Democrats have been grappling with party divisions over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza in a warthat began with an Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas fighters who killed 1,200 people and captured 253, according to Israeli tallies.