Netanyahu prepares to deliver congressional speech amid pressure over raging Gaza war and rising tensions with Biden administration

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington for a historic speech to Congress this week in the face of intense pressure to quickly reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas in the Gaza war.

Israel’s longest-serving prime minister on Wednesday will become the first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of the two chambers four times, while Winston Churchill has done so three times.

However, analysts say the Gaza war since the October 7 attacks has created worrying tensions between Israel and its historically.

The United States and other allies fear an angry reaction to civilian casualties in the Palestinian territories.

Demonstrations organized by families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza are also causing problems for Netanyahu.

A meeting between Netanyahu and Biden remains uncertain, with information saying that they will meet on Tuesday.

Biden and some Israeli ministers say a deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States is possible.

He presented a plan in May providing for a six-week ceasefire during which some Israeli hostages would be exchanged with Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that negotiators were a few meters away and we were heading to the finish line.

However, Hamas has accused Netanyahu of seeking to block a deal, and Blinken said he wanted to get the deal to the finish line when Netanyahu is in Washington.

Airstrikes have intensified in recent weeks and Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that only increased military pressure can free prisoners and defeat Hamas.

He told soldiers in Gaza on Thursday, “This double pressure is not delaying the agreement; it’s pushing it forward”.

In public, Biden has offered strong support to Israel, however, he expressed concern about the attack on Rafah on May and suspended for a period the delivery of heavy bombs to Israel, with supplies for the 2,000-pound bombs remain suspended.

While Republicans pressed to invite Netanyahu to Congress, the Israeli leader lost support among Democrats.

Democratic Jewish Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii announced he would boycott Wednesday’s speech, saying he wouldn’t listen to political rhetoric that will do nothing to bring peace to the region.

Benjamin Netanyahu said after being reconvened to Congress that he would “present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us”.

Cook believes Netanyahu has two goals from his visit to Washington.

First to show that he didn’t undermine Israel’s relations with the United States.

Second, it seeks to shift the conversation away from the Gaza conflict toward the threat posed by Iran and its proxies to the Israel and the United States.

Much attention will focus on whether Netanyahu meets Donald Trump or a figure close to the Republican presidential candidate.

But despite the tensions, the United States has defended Israeli interests while playing a key role in mediation efforts; The military relationship remains strong, the officials said.

Washington’s support could be crucial as Israel faces growing international criticism over the enormity of the humanitarian toll from the nearly 300-day war.