Senate Republicans held a press briefing in advance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's joint Congressional address.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Okay.
00:01I know we're just a shade early, but we're going to go ahead and get started because
00:07we do have a number of speakers this morning, and obviously there's a lot going on.
00:13So just thank you all for coming today, and I want to thank all of my colleagues for joining
00:18me in this press conference.
00:20Right now, folks, as we're standing here safe in the Capitol building, Israel is fighting
00:28for their right to exist, and our fellow Americans' lives are quite literally on the line.
00:35On October 7th, 32 Americans were killed and dozens were taken hostage, and we know eight
00:44of those that were taken hostage are still being held by Hamas.
00:49We believe that five of them are alive.
00:54The Biden-Harris administration has not only turned their back on our American hostages
01:00– you don't ever hear them mention our American hostages – but they've also turned
01:07their back on our close friend and ally Israel.
01:11When Israel needed support and our citizens needed saving, President Biden withheld weapons
01:20and Vice President Harris fueled pro-Hamas rhetoric.
01:27That's our vice president.
01:30Neither the vice president nor the president were there to welcome the prime minister of
01:35Israel on his arrival.
01:38So folks, Israel was attacked by Iran-backed terrorists, and sadly, they have been attacked
01:44by the United States administration.
01:46Never, never should this have happened.
01:50Senate Republicans stand in solidarity with Israel.
01:54We stand in solidarity with the prime minister.
01:57As they defend their country and work to defeat Iran-backed Hamas.
02:03So we are demanding action from this waffling White House, number one, end the appeasement,
02:10two, enforce the sanctions and supply the weapons Israel needs to defeat Hamas, and
02:16ensure that terrorists are never, ever, ever emboldened to take American hostages ever again.
02:26And with that, we will jump right in.
02:30Senator Thune, please.
02:33The podium is yours.
02:34Thank you, Senator Ernst, for leading this.
02:37Today, the U.S. Congress will hear from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in what is a critically
02:45important address, and I have to say that I'm anxious to hear, I think like a lot of
02:51my Republican colleagues are, about what Israel needs to be able to defend itself and succeed
02:58against the terrorist threats that it literally faces on all sides.
03:03One thing it needs, one thing it needs is for the United States to have its back.
03:08Israel needs a reliable American ally, which is why it is so disappointing, and I would
03:16say more than disappointing, disturbing, that there are so many Democrats who are going
03:20to boycott the address this afternoon.
03:24And it's especially disturbing that Vice President Harris has opted not to preside over this event.
03:33She felt comfortable presiding over the worst, as borders are, the worst border crisis that
03:39we've seen in our history.
03:41She was comfortable presiding over the passage of the reckless tax and spending spree, the
03:47so-called Inflation Reduction Act, and numerous other nominations that have come across the
03:53Senate floor, and yet here we have our greatest ally in the Middle East and a crucial security
04:00partner coming and testifying or speaking to the United States Congress, and she can't
04:06be there to preside over this important meeting.
04:08So I can tell you one thing, that the Republicans are going to be there in force, we will be
04:13expressing our support for our ally Israel, and in light of what happened on October 7th
04:20and everything that's happened since, now more than ever, the U.S. and what used to
04:26be a bipartisan majority here in the United States Congress needs to stand behind Israel.
04:32But I can assure you one thing, and that is the Republicans here in the House and Senate
04:37will be doing that, not only this afternoon when we listen to the Prime Minister, but
04:41when it comes to delivering on the important assistance that this relationship and this
04:46partnership requires in order for Israel to survive in a very, very dangerous world.
04:54Thank you, I really appreciate it.
04:56Senator Ricker.
04:57Thank you, Senator Turner and Mr. Leader, I appreciate that.
05:03Just a few points.
05:05For 70-plus years, the United States has stood with Israel on a steadfast bipartisan basis.
05:16Today, Republican members of the House and Senate still stand foursquare, 100 percent
05:24for Israel, in their fight for the right to exist, and in their fight once and for all,
05:31finally, to have a Jewish homeland where they can live in safety, free from the persecution
05:37that they have endured for over 2,000 years.
05:44Hamas is a terrorist group funded by Iran.
05:49So are the Houthis.
05:51So is Hezbollah.
05:52These are three proxies of one of the major adversaries of the United States.
05:59That is Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Communist China.
06:04I call them the axis of aggressors.
06:08We need to stand steadfast for Israel because Hamas, who made the attack October 7th, has
06:17had a sworn purpose, one and only sworn purpose, since their existence, and that is to wipe
06:25the nation of Israel totally off the map.
06:29They've never disavowed that.
06:30It is the only reason for their existence.
06:35They made an aggressive attack in the Gaza area on October 7th.
06:41They killed innocent civilians, men, women, and children.
06:46They have taken Israeli and American captives.
06:51Unless we back Prime Minister Netanyahu in his effort to completely eliminate Hamas,
07:00to wipe them off the face of the earth, to wipe this group whose only purpose is to destroy
07:06Israel off the face of the earth, we will have aggression from Hamas and from Iran's
07:13other proxies in the future.
07:16So I support Prime Minister Netanyahu.
07:20I condemn Hamas for violating almost every tenet of international law.
07:28They take civilians and prisoners of war and use them as human shields, an absolute
07:36violation of the laws of war.
07:40They should be prosecuted for that if we can capture them.
07:44But if not, they need to be completely rooted out.
07:48We need to end the terrorist threat to one of our steadfast allies for some 70 years.
07:55We welcome – as a Republican conference, House and Senate, we welcome the prime minister
08:02of our great ally to the United States Congress today.
08:05MODERATOR Thank you, Senator.
08:07Senator Budd.
08:08SEN.
08:09BUDD Good morning, and thank you for being here.
08:11Senator Ernst, thanks for your leadership on this issue, and I thank my colleagues as well.
08:15We want to, first of all, thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for coming.
08:18We welcome him to Washington, D.C.
08:21But I'd like you all to note who has not welcomed him to Washington, D.C., and that
08:25is Vice President Kamala Harris.
08:28And I want you also to note who is not doing her constitutional duties to attend the speech
08:32today, and that is Vice President Kamala Harris.
08:36So let's be clear.
08:37I don't think that snubbing our Middle East ally does what we need to do to stop the Hamas
08:45terrorists.
08:46As you remember, 292 days ago, these same Hamas terrorists, they committed horrific
08:50acts of barbarism and of kidnapping.
08:55Now eight of the remaining hostages being held in Gaza, they're Americans.
09:01And one of them is a native of my home state in North Carolina, and that's Keith Siegel
09:06with his wife Aviva.
09:08About 50 days after October 7th, she was released.
09:13And thank goodness she is telling the story to the rest of the world.
09:18But her husband, Keith, from North Carolina, is still, 292 days later, being held captive.
09:27So now these eight innocent souls, they should be at the top, these eight Americans, they
09:31should be at the top of our national conscience.
09:35And every American should know their names.
09:37But instead we see people, even some Americans, sadly, blaming Israel, pressuring Israel,
09:43and one American not showing up for Israel today.
09:47It's unconscionable what Hamas has done and is still doing.
09:51It's absolutely evil.
09:53So I think it's time for us to regain our moral compass, and it's time for officials
09:57like Vice President Harris to show up and fully support Prime Minister Netanyahu.
10:03So it's time to apply maximum pressure on Hamas, to release the hostages, and to release
10:08Keith Siegel.
10:09And it's long past time to bring them all home.
10:14Thank you, Senator Ernst, for organizing this important press conference.
10:23Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will come before Congress to ask us for help.
10:31America has a responsibility.
10:33We have an obligation to keep our promises.
10:37And we have to show that never again actually means never again.
10:43Failure to do so will mean that we will let down our tremendous ally, and we will look
10:49weak once again on the world stage.
10:53We must stand strongly with Israel and show her the support, not just in normal times,
10:58but in trying times when she needs us the most.
11:00I think it's a shame that Vice President Harris won't be here, literally won't be here, standing
11:06with Israel today.
11:08She isn't presiding over or attending Prime Minister Netanyahu's address.
11:13And look, to be honest, she doesn't have many jobs as the Vice President.
11:18She was put in charge of our border.
11:20We know she failed at that responsibility.
11:23She was supposed to fill in for the President during ceremonial times.
11:27She failed to greet Prime Minister Netanyahu when he landed in the United States.
11:33And she's expected to preside over joint sessions in which foreign leaders of Congress are present.
11:39Once again, she's failing at that too.
11:43Time and time again, she has chosen not to do her job.
11:47But now she's asking the American people for a promotion.
11:51Let's be clear, the Vice President could be here today if she wanted to.
11:56She has chosen not to fulfill her duty.
11:58Instead, she's at a conference.
12:01Look, I am all for her attending a conference.
12:05The conference lasts five days.
12:08Does anybody in this room think that if she had told the people in the conference that
12:12she, the Vice President of the United States, would like to address them, but just needed
12:15to adjust her time, that they wouldn't have allowed her to do that?
12:20They absolutely would.
12:21She's choosing not to be here today.
12:26She could have fulfilled her obligation.
12:28Once again, the Biden-Harris administration is sending exactly the wrong message, a message
12:34that is sure to further embolden our adversaries.
12:38It's past time to reestablish credibility in the American deterrence and for America
12:43to provide Israel with everything she needs to permanently end the threat of Hamas.
12:49Strength is the path to sustainable peace, not weakness or appeasement.
12:56Make no mistake, Israel has more than a right to defend herself.
13:02She has an obligation to do so.
13:07America can and must help Israel fulfill that mission, help bring every single hostage home,
13:14and help bring about sustainable peace through strength.
13:19It is time we use every tool in our toolbox, including those that will help dry up Iran
13:25financially.
13:26We've done it before under the Trump administration, and we can do it again.
13:31Today and every day, Senate Republicans proudly stand with Israel.
13:39Senator Tormann.
13:46Thank you, Senator Ernst, for arranging for this press conference.
13:49It could not be more important.
13:52On October the 7th of last year, Hamas terrorists, supported by the number one state sponsor
14:00of terrorism in the world, Iran, Hamas attacked and killed more than 1,000 innocent Israelis.
14:08They also took 251 hostages, and over 100 hostages are still in the custody of Hamas
14:18under this network of tunnels that they built under Gaza.
14:23Eight of those were American citizens.
14:26Eight American citizens are still in the hands of this terrorist organization sponsored by
14:31Iran.
14:32And of course, we know that Israel, our number one ally in the Middle East, the only democracy
14:38really, is under attack in the north, in the Houthis, in Yemen.
14:44This is a fight for Israel's very existence, and it's in our national security interest
14:51to support our friend and ally in the Middle East against an aggressor nation like Iran,
14:57which, oh, by the way, in addition to being the number one state sponsor of terrorism,
15:02is working toward developing a nuclear weapon, thanks to the policies of the Biden administration.
15:09That was virtually shut down under the previous administration through the extreme pressure
15:13campaign of the Trump presidency, but that's all been virtually reversed, and all the sanctions
15:20that have been put in place to dry up the money so that Iran could not continue to pay
15:25these terrorist organizations has been replenished and replaced, thanks to the policies of the
15:31Biden administration.
15:34But the Vice President of the United States has a responsibility to attend these speeches
15:41in the joint session in the House of Representatives.
15:44I have been here quite a while.
15:46I don't remember any occasion previously where the Vice President hasn't shown up, along
15:52with the Speaker.
15:54And this is a demonstration of respect, a demonstration of our alliance, a demonstration
16:01of our commitment to democracies in regions of the world which are among the most dangerous
16:08and volatile.
16:09And the Vice President of the United States doesn't have the common courtesy to even show
16:14up.
16:17It's disgraceful.
16:18She ought to be embarrassed.
16:21Unfortunately, it's not just ignorance or a lack of resolve or a lack of commitment
16:25to our allies.
16:26It does nothing but encourage them to do more, because they think they can break our will
16:32and they think they can break the will of our allies like Israel.
16:36It's absolutely disgraceful.
16:38And I hope – I guess time is running short, but I hope that the Vice President would reconsider.
16:44Senator Cassidy.
16:51And I thank Benjamin Netanyahu for coming here to the United States.
16:54It's important for us to hear firsthand from the person who leads the nation that is on
16:57the line.
16:58I had the privilege, the responsibility, of going to Israel in the first congressional
17:05delegation after the attack.
17:08And the nation, which is kind of used to terrorism, was shocked by this.
17:13To put it in perspective, if you scaled up, our population is so much bigger than Israel's.
17:18They lost 1,300 people.
17:19That would have been the equivalent of 40,000 Americans dead in one attack, unprovoked,
17:28by someone who had been, if you will, making motions that they would be at peace.
17:33They had the same shock as we had after 9-11.
17:36And our message to Prime Minister Netanyahu is that you stood with us after 9-11 and we
17:42will stand with you after October the 7th.
17:46Now Hamas targets civilians, children, infants.
17:49They are the ones who are the killers.
17:51In contrast, Israel wants to protect their people, and that's the difference.
17:55I cannot stress enough, there is no moral equivalency between Israel and Hamas.
18:02Hamas is the aggressor.
18:04They are the terrorists.
18:05They are those who even now embed their leadership within a civilian population, knowing that
18:10Israel, if they wish to take out that Hamas leadership, will be forced to have, that there
18:15might indeed be civilian deaths.
18:19But that is Hamas bringing upon those civilians.
18:24Now that's not the only thing we're battling.
18:26There's anti-Semitism here in the United States, and we've seen this rampant anti-Semitism
18:30at colleges nationwide.
18:32No student should fear, as she or he walks around the campus, that they are endangered
18:38just because they're going to class.
18:41Now these anti-Israel protesters are not singing Kumbaya.
18:47They are chanting slogans known to mean the obliteration of the nation of Israel.
18:53That's why we have introduced the Restoring Civility on Campus Act, ensuring that universities
18:57and the Biden-Harris administration immediately addresses civil rights complaints if a student
19:03experiences violence or harassment on a campus because of their heritage.
19:08I thank Senator Ernst for co-leading this bill, and I thank her as well for co-hosting
19:13this.
19:15So I look forward to hearing from Prime Minister Netanyahu today.
19:22Like a lot of us, I had the opportunity to visit Israel.
19:25I went in March.
19:27I went to a village that I'd been to before, Kfar Aza, where 63 individuals were killed.
19:34Little kids were murdered.
19:37The stories were just horrible.
19:38They're half a mile from Gaza.
19:40So it's clear what has to happen here.
19:43Israel needs to win.
19:44Hamas needs to be destroyed.
19:47What's disappointing is the Biden administration has not been in support of Israel.
19:52Democrats have not been in support of Israel.
19:55Vice President Harris has not been in support of Israel.
19:59We can't forget the hostages, American hostages that are there.
20:04My office, we have a picture of all the hostages up outside my office.
20:07We put information out about them and their families every day.
20:12We can't forget what's happened.
20:13I look forward to hearing from Prime Minister Netanyahu of how the war is going, how they're
20:18going to destroy Hamas, what they need from America.
20:22When I was over there in March, what they were telling me is American support, it's
20:27not just that they need our military weapons, but they need our verbal support.
20:34And unfortunately, this administration is not doing it.
20:37I can't believe Vice President Harris is not showing up today.
20:40It's a slap in the face to the only democracy in the Middle East, our greatest ally in the
20:46Middle East, somebody that needs our support.
20:49It doesn't make any sense.
20:51As Republicans in the House and Senate, we're going to show up, we're going to do everything
20:54we can to help the state of Israel, help all of our constituents that are Jewish, stop
21:01this anti-Semitism.
21:03And I look forward to standing with my Republican colleagues at this joint session, doing everything
21:09we can to support Israel.
21:10Thank you, Senator.
21:11Senator Marshall.
21:15Well, thank you, Senator Ernst.
21:18On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists led an unprovoked attack on Israel that resulted
21:25in the death of at least 1,400 people, including 1,300 Israelis and at least 30 Americans,
21:33along with taking hundreds of hostages, including 14 Americans.
21:39The attack of October the 7th has led to the death of 38 Americans, and at least five Americans
21:45remain in captivity.
21:47When's the last time we heard the names of these hostages?
21:51When's the last time you've heard anything from the President or Vice President about
21:55empathy or concern for these hostages?
22:01It amazes me that this White House demands peace arrangements, peace talks in Israel,
22:07but yet there's no talk of a peace agreement in Ukraine.
22:12From my vantage point, what I see at the White House is not a profile in courage, but rather
22:16a profile in fear and political cowardice.
22:20I want to remind Americans why this is important, that America has a very special relationship
22:26with Israel.
22:27It's characterized by strong political, military, and economic ties.
22:32It's rooted in shared democratic values, strategic interests, and cultural connections.
22:38And most importantly, this nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values.
22:46What we see at the White House are empty words and very few actions.
22:52I want to remind everybody back home what President Trump did for Israel.
22:57In 2017, he recognized Jerusalem as the capital and moved the embassy there.
23:02In 2019, he recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
23:06In 2020, he brokered the Abraham Accords.
23:10He's defunded UNRWA.
23:12He financially broke the back of Iran.
23:15He got us out of the horrific Iran nuclear deal as well.
23:19What we need is unwavering leadership in the White House where our enemies fear us.
23:25This attack would have never have happened if Donald Trump was still the president.
23:30This is one more symptom of a weak president and vice president.
23:35Today, I stand before you with resolute conviction that justice must prevail.
23:39The state of Israel has every right, and actually they've got a duty, a moral imperative to
23:44hold Hamas accountable for its actions.
23:47This is an organization that's consistently chosen violence and terror over peace and
23:52coexistence.
23:53Hamas' actions are not just an affront to Israel, but to humanity itself and specifically
23:59to America as they chant, death to America.
24:03To all those who cry out for restraint, I would say this.
24:06Would you stand idly by if your own children were under threat?
24:10Would you ask for calm if your own towns were targeted by an enemy that celebrates your
24:13suffering?
24:14Israel's actions are not just about security.
24:17They're about justice.
24:19They're about ensuring that terror cannot and will not dictate our future.
24:24Thank you very much.
24:25Okay.
24:26Next, we will have Senator Young.
24:34Good afternoon.
24:37On October 7th, 2023, Hamas murdered, murdered over 1,000 Israeli citizens.
24:50This was the single greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust, and make no mistake,
24:56the Holocaust was the very inspiration for this attack.
25:02In the immediate aftermath of these unspeakable acts, these evil acts, the American people,
25:11Congress, the White House, Republicans and Democrats here on the Hill and throughout
25:17the country came together, came together in solidarity and sympathy and in their expressions
25:25of support for the Israeli state and the Israeli people.
25:30And in the nine months since, the state of Israel did exactly what you would expect any
25:36self-respecting state to do.
25:41They've waged war.
25:44They fiercely waged war.
25:47They've asserted their rights.
25:49They've been protecting their people.
25:52And they've done what is necessary to try and prevent these sorts of evil acts from
25:57occurring again.
26:00In the course of these efforts, these justified and understandable responses, they've been
26:06under fire from Iran, other proxies, and also from anti-Semites from around the world, including
26:17a handful in this country.
26:19So on the occasion of Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit, it's really important, I think, for
26:24all of us, Republicans and Democrats, elected officials and rank-and-file Americans to reaffirm
26:31our support for the state of Israel, their leaders and their people.
26:36We stood with our ally on October 7th, and we stand with her still today.
26:41The vast majority of Americans do.
26:44I can't speak for the Biden-Harris administration.
26:50I will say in the aftermath, the immediate aftermath of October 7th, many Republicans
26:55rightly praised the administration's response.
26:59They seemed to offer steadfast support for our ally.
27:04In the months since, however, we've seen that support wane.
27:09To use Margaret Thatcher's memorable phrase, we've perhaps seen things go a bit wobbly.
27:16This administration has withheld congressionally approved aid from the IDF, they've extended
27:21Hamas lifelines under the guise of peace plans, they've undermined Prime Minister Netanyahu
27:27and prioritized placating the radicals, the radicals in its political base.
27:33We've seen President Biden be too slow again and say too little in the condemnation of
27:40anti-Israel and anti-Semitic mobs on our college campuses.
27:45While Vice President Harris, who I gather hasn't prioritized a visit from the Prime
27:51Minister of Israel in the middle of an existential war, Vice President Harris has spoken approvingly
28:00of these very mobs, of these elements.
28:06Former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir once told President Ford during a meeting in the
28:11Oval Office, I will fight not to have Israel sacrifice to the good of mankind, because
28:18it would not be for the good of mankind.
28:22Half a century later, that fight goes on.
28:26The Jewish state remains, and it will remain, and mankind will be better because of it,
28:34and the United States of America must continue to have solidarity with the people and the
28:39state of Israel in that process.
28:41Israel can always count on me and the folks up here for America's friendship and support.
28:47Thank you, Senator.
28:49Senator Poland.
28:51You know, there's been a lot of talk about everything up here so far, and what's left
28:57to really visit about.
28:58The question is, why are we here?
29:01Why do we stand right here in front of you to begin with?
29:03Because we shouldn't.
29:04Really, if this administration was doing their job and standing with our allies, we wouldn't
29:09be having this press conference.
29:11So why aren't they here?
29:13Was Israel not with us after 9-11?
29:16Did other countries come after us and condemn us for attacking those that attacked us?
29:22For going and hunting the terrorist organizations that came after us?
29:25Did anybody condemn us for that?
29:28Yeah.
29:29Iran did.
29:32Other terrorist states did.
29:34Terrorist organizations did.
29:36They cried foul.
29:39Did our allies stand with us though?
29:40Yes.
29:41Did they fight beside us?
29:43Yes.
29:45We should be outraged.
29:46The United States should be outraged.
29:47There should be no daylight between us.
29:50We got attacked the same as Israel got attacked.
29:54They killed 35 Americans.
29:56They still hold five American hostages.
29:59Why the hell isn't President Biden and President Harris standing here with us?
30:07Why wouldn't they give the Prime Minister all the support they have?
30:11Because if you're not standing with the Prime Minister, there isn't a choice to be neutral
30:16here.
30:17We don't have that choice.
30:18If we are not standing with the Prime Minister, that means we are condemning their actions
30:24in emboldening Hamas, a terrorist organization.
30:28These people that are out here protesting, they've got it wrong.
30:33This fight isn't against the Palestinian people.
30:37Israel's not attacking the West Bank.
30:40It's attacking Gaza because Gaza was ran by Hamas and the people that chose to live chose.
30:48They weren't put in Gaza.
30:51They chose to live in Hamas.
30:53They chose to live underneath the rule of Hamas, a terrorist organization.
30:58They chose to ignore what was going on literally underneath their feet.
31:03They made that decision.
31:05They chose to raise their families in there.
31:10Bad things happen in war.
31:14For those that have had the discrimination of seeing it, hearing it, and unfortunately
31:18tasting it, we know bad things happen in war.
31:25Israel didn't choose this fight.
31:28Hamas chose this for them.
31:30They're choosing to defend it and eliminate the threat, the same as the United States
31:35did.
31:37There's no excuse for this administration behaving the way they are, other than what?
31:44There's an extreme base of the Democrat Party that they're wanting their votes.
31:47They want to appease them.
31:51Somebody else answer the question, because I can't.
31:54I can't make sense of it, why we wouldn't be standing with Israel, because we always
31:58said we stood with Israel.
31:59Why aren't we still standing with Israel?
32:01Guys, I'm dumbfounded as much as anybody, and aggravated more than most.
32:07Israel has a right to defend themselves, and I can assure you where the Republican Party
32:12is.
32:13We're standing right beside them and willing to fight with them.
32:17Thank you, Senator.
32:18Senator Hicks.
32:22I just want to say how much I appreciate my colleagues that you've heard from, that we're
32:28unified on this, because this is the right thing to do.
32:34I look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister this afternoon, and let's be very clear, the
32:41U.S.-Israeli partnership is critical to U.S. security.
32:47How simple can this be?
32:50And I want it known that the Senate Republicans remain firmly by Israel's side, even as the
32:59Biden-Harris administration fails in their duties to do this.
33:06I'm like Senator Mullins.
33:07I can't answer this.
33:09It makes no sense whatsoever.
33:13Israel has every right to defend itself against enemies that threatens its pure existence.
33:20The unprovoked attack on October the 7th, unprovoked.
33:27One of the hardest things that I've had to do as a U.S. senator is watch the uncut, unfiltered
33:36footage of that attack, of a child sitting in the high chair while his mother was reaching
33:43in the refrigerator to get him something, watching his mother be murdered from the high
33:50chair.
33:52This is real.
33:55This is a real experience we're going through.
33:58You may read about things.
34:00This is reality of what's happening right now.
34:05How we cannot stand with Israel is beyond any comprehension that I could have.
34:12I have met with a lot of these families.
34:15They've come over.
34:16We've had these discussions.
34:18It's things you will never forget in your lifetime.
34:24And not only is the administration failing these American citizens right here that you
34:29see on this poster, it's failing to protect the American citizens domestically as well.
34:38As we're here today, hearing the protesters outside of our door, I feel so sorry for these
34:44Jewish students who are afraid to walk across campus, who are afraid to go to class.
34:53That is a sad day in this country when we are having this.
34:58And they are truly experiencing this.
35:02And it's our job to protect these students.
35:07I mean, we know what turning our back on Israel is doing.
35:11It is totally emboldening our adversaries.
35:15Something that this administration excels at.
35:20By Vice President Harris not being here tells me all I need to know about her, and it should
35:27tell the American people all that they need to know about her as well.
35:33Political games with the lives and the well-being of Israelis and Americans is just a failure.
35:41But it's reflected in the state and of the world around us.
35:46It is just hard to comprehend that you've got these people standing here behind me,
35:52unified as the Republicans, and the other side of the aisle, really, you cannot defend
35:58Israel?
35:59Really?
36:00That is just beyond belief.
36:04Mississippians who didn't send me here to turn my back on Israel.
36:10And I will continue to work with these great, strong colleagues that I have behind me as
36:16our ally in the Middle East, at home, and abroad.
36:21And I would look forward to the day our President does the same thing that we're doing.
36:27Senator Hogan.
36:31The message from all of us is very clear.
36:35We need to support Israel.
36:36It's that simple.
36:37It's that straightforward.
36:38We need to support Israel.
36:41And that means as they work to defeat Hamas, and Hamas must be defeated.
36:46We shouldn't be telling them how to prosecute the war.
36:48They know how to prosecute the war.
36:51They're in the middle of it.
36:52They know how to deal with it.
36:53We need to support them, not second-guess them, and that's what the Biden-Harris administration
36:58is doing.
36:59And that's wrong.
37:00And that undermines their effort to do what they must do.
37:03And what they must do is defeat Hamas.
37:06That means completely destroying Hamas's military capability so that we don't have a repeat
37:12of what happened on October 7th.
37:14It's that simple.
37:15This isn't rocket science.
37:19Hamas must be defeated.
37:21So instead of this administration, the Biden-Harris administration, sitting back, second-guessing,
37:26and undermining that effort, they need to fully support Israel and defeat Hamas.
37:33And the other big point that we've got to recognize is that Iran is behind all of this.
37:39Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, they are proxies for Iran.
37:44What are we doing going soft in terms of sanctions and other steps against Iran?
37:51We're not going to stop this terrorism that Iran supports around the globe unless we deal
37:57with Iran.
37:59So what?
38:00Today, we've got Prime Minister Netanyahu here.
38:03I very much – we all very much appreciate that.
38:08And we want to show the very strongest support for him and for Israel in this fight, this
38:12global fight on terror.
38:14And Israel's at the tip of the sphere.
38:17They're not just protecting themselves, they're protecting us.
38:21They're one of our closest allies.
38:24Support them.
38:25And let's get real.
38:26Let's get clear-eyed about Iran and their proxies – Hamas and Hezbollah and Houthis
38:32and other terrorist organizations around the world that they support.
38:36And let's work with our allies, join with our allies, support our allies, not second-guess
38:40them, and defeat terror.
38:43Thank you so much.
38:44Okay.
38:45Okay.
38:46We'll take questions for those that will be staying.
38:47Yes, ma'am.
38:48There's been a lot of criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris for not being here today.
38:52And yesterday, two members of the House referred to her as a DDI candidate.
38:57I would like a comment on that.
38:59And also, has there been any criticism for Judy Vance for being on the campaign trail
39:03today and not here?
39:04Well, I can – I'm not going to speak to what the House is saying, but I can state
39:10that not having the Vice President presiding over a joint session of Congress with our
39:17closest ally in the Middle East present, that's a disgrace.
39:23That is a disgrace.
39:26She is abdicating her duties now as Vice President.
39:29What is she going to do?
39:31And this will never happen, but should she become, hypothetically, President of the United States,
39:37what is she going to abdicate then?
39:40So I can state – I think all of us feel the same way here – is that she should be here.
39:46Whether she likes the prime minister of Israel or not, whether she respects him or not,
39:52she should be here.
39:54It is a disgrace.
39:56And just as Senator Hyde-Smith said, it tells you everything you need to know about her
40:01by her abdicating her duties today.
40:04With J.D. Vance, he is on the campaign trail.
40:07I understand that.
40:08He's not the sitting Vice President of the United States.
40:11And we've had many media outlets that have said J.D. Vance has shown a strong, strong
40:17level of commitment and support to the state of Israel.
40:22So his commitment to Israel is not questioned.
40:26But Vice President Harris and her pro-Hamas rhetoric tells us everything we need to know.
40:32And the fact that she has turned her back on her duties as Vice President of the United States
40:38turned her back on Congress and an invitation to her closest friend and ally of the Middle East.
40:44Jonathan, can I keep in mind, too, that J.D. and Trump – J.D. Vance and President Trump
40:50is meeting with the prime minister in Mar-a-Lago, too?
40:54Yeah.
40:55I just want to emphasize that Vice President Harris has an obligation to be here.
40:59It's her duty to be here.
41:01The real challenge about her candidacy is that, number one, she's been lying to Americans
41:06for three years about the president's mental health status.
41:10That he's not been all there cognitively.
41:13And then she is – the borders are over 11 million people crossing the border illegally.
41:17And she's complicit in Joe Biden's policies that have given us $6 a gallon gasoline,
41:22$4 a gallon milk, that she is a California progressive with a more liberal voting record
41:28than Bernie Sanders.
41:30That's the problem with her candidacy, and that's why America is going to reject her.
41:34And I go back again.
41:35Let's compare and contrast what Donald Trump did for Israel
41:38versus what this administration has done for Israel.
41:41It is certainly day and night.
41:44Thank you so much.
41:45I was just wondering what all of you are hoping to hear from the prime minister specifically.
41:51Are you hoping to hear for some sort of vision for how you would like to achieve peace in the region?
41:59Is there anything that you're looking for out of this?
42:01No, I think that is an exceptional question.
42:04And I think each one of us will have different feelings on what we wish to hear today.
42:09Senator Joni Ernst would love to hear how we are going to achieve peace in the Middle East
42:16with our partner Israel.
42:18The Abraham Accords was a significant step forward under the Trump administration
42:23for stabilizing the Middle East and allowing partners to come together to push against Iran.
42:28How do we continue to build upon that, find a way to peace?
42:35That's one thing Israel needs to do is find a way to peace.
42:39But that means the destruction of Hamas as well.
42:42We need to acknowledge that.
42:44And then what I personally hope to hear as well is how we bring our American hostages home.
42:53So this, let's see, Sagi.
42:57Sagi, right here.
42:59He is a grandson of Holocaust survivors.
43:04Grandson of Holocaust survivors.
43:07And he has been taken by Hamas.
43:12The, let's see, well we also,
43:15Omer's parents speak at the Republican National Convention.
43:21We heard a number of Republicans read the names of each one of our hostages.
43:28We have welcomed those families into our offices.
43:32They are in agony not knowing if their loved ones are coming home.
43:37So I do hope we find a way to stability in the Middle East.
43:41We hear that from the Prime Minister on what his plans are.
43:45But I in particular also want to hear what the plan is to bring our American hostages home.
43:52And I welcome any other thoughts.
43:54Prime Minister Netanyahu is a strong and experienced leader.
43:58And I think it's very important we hear from him as to exactly what's going on
44:02and where they are in terms of truly defeating Hamas
44:05and what else needs to happen for them to get that job done
44:08and how we can stand 100 percent behind them and help them do it.
44:12I think that's very strong, very important so that we understand it directly from him.
44:17And then all of the things that Senator Ernst said as well.
44:21But he's the one there that knows exactly what's going on
44:24and we need to know exactly what's going on
44:26and how we can stand strong and help Israel get this job done
44:30and bring those hostages home, all these things.
44:33But he's the one that can tell us the straight story.
44:37And it's not just all of us that need to hear it.
44:39Americans need to hear it.
44:42One of the things he'll be talking about is reminding us,
44:45and I think the world, particularly Americans,
44:47need to be reminded of what a great ally they are for us in the Middle East,
44:51the only democracy in the Middle East, great innovators and a great ally.
44:57The second thing I think they're going to be talking about,
45:00the fact that part of his calculus is let's get all of the hostages returned,
45:05particularly the eight Americans, whether they're alive
45:09or whether it is respectfully returning their remains.
45:13The other is talking about what has happened so far in the war
45:17and that from talking to him in person it has been a very cautious war,
45:20minimizing civilian casualties.
45:22And the mainstream media will pick up what al-Jazeera will say,
45:27they'll give the wrong numbers,
45:29completely biased against the state of Israel.
45:31So I think he'll correct the record
45:33and say how cautious he has been to minimize any civilian casualties
45:37because that's certainly something that he wants to avoid
45:40and something that he deeply, deeply cares about.
45:42And I think the other thing is the path forward.
45:44What does it look like once he has gotten to a certain point in Gaza
45:48and there is security?
45:50What does it look like?
45:51How does he partner with others in the Middle East region
45:54for peace for the enduring path forward?
46:00I think it's really important that Prime Minister Netanyahu
46:04explain to Americans why this is important.
46:08Why is this relationship between America and the United States
46:12so important and so special?
46:16And I think beyond that, more specifically,
46:20I just want to reemphasize that this is important
46:22from a national security standpoint,
46:24it's important from a military cooperation standpoint,
46:27that we provide substantial military aid to Israel,
46:30ensuring its qualitative military edge in the Middle East,
46:33that we conduct joint military exercises, intelligence sharing,
46:36defense technology collaboration that strengthen both nations' security,
46:40that we work together on missile defense systems
46:43that will someday be very important to defending this country as well.
46:48We have many strategic interests in the Middle East as well,
46:52many economic interests as well.
46:54We're Israel's largest trade partner.
46:56We have strong bilateral trade investment flows,
46:59and our cooperation extends to high-tech industries, innovation, and research.
47:04So I want him to make that case, why this relationship is important,
47:08why it's been so fruitful, and then lastly,
47:11why it's important to Americans, to Kansans, to Iowans.
47:16Why is it important that we eliminate Hamas?
47:19Why is it? Because they are a threat to Americans.
47:22They are the ones that are shouting death to America.
47:29Thank you. Ellie Sennett with The National.
47:31We've heard from many of these hostage families speaking to Congress this week.
47:35Some of these families have been a bit critical of Benjamin Netanyahu in this moment.
47:39The father of Sagi told the Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday,
47:42any true friend of Israel today must pressure our prime minister
47:46to finish the ceasefire deal now.
47:48Do you agree with that?
47:50And are you, in your conversations with Netanyahu,
47:53bringing some of these family concerns to the prime minister?
47:57Yeah, absolutely.
47:58And believe me, all of us have spent a considerable amount of time
48:02with our hostage families.
48:04I was in Israel on October 10th,
48:07and that was when I first learned that we did have Americans
48:10that were being held hostage at that time.
48:13So I started engaging from the very beginning.
48:16Senator Budd has been very engaged with Aviva Siegel
48:21and knowing that her husband Keith is still held.
48:24So yes, we will continue to encourage the prime minister
48:28to get the hostages freed.
48:31I can only imagine the agony that those families are going through right now.
48:37There were a few of us that were able to go to the floor yesterday,
48:41Democrats and Republicans,
48:44and speak the names of our hostages
48:47and talk a little bit about their backgrounds.
48:50So we all recognize that this is very, very important
48:53to get done for these families.
48:55They are Americans.
48:56We need to recognize that.
48:58They are our fellow countrymen.
49:00So yes, we will continue to encourage.
49:02They say pressure.
49:03We would say encourage that the families get their loved ones back soon.
49:09I know that one thing that I've experienced with my Jewish friends
49:13is that there's a hashtag out there, bring them home now,
49:17and I support that movement.
49:19We need to bring them home now.
49:21But I would also remind everyone,
49:25and this came from a Jewish friend of mine,
49:28said think about the Bible, our Bible,
49:31and think about Pharaoh,
49:35and the cry to the Pharaoh, let my people go.
49:39He said apply that to Hamas.
49:42Hamas, let our people go.
49:45So it's not the prime minister that is holding hostage these Americans.
49:51It is Hamas that's holding them hostage.
49:55So I know there's a level of frustration with the war in general
50:01coming from the families,
50:04but we need to remember our anger needs to be directed at Hamas
50:09who murdered and raped innocent civilians.
50:14They are the ones that drug the bodies
50:18because we now know that some of these hostages were killed
50:22at their kibbutz at the music festival.
50:26Their bodies were drug into Gaza,
50:30already deceased.
50:34They need to come home.
50:37We know that.
50:39But it's Hamas that is holding them.
50:43One more question.
50:46There is a video circulating online
50:49of the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Palestinian youth movement.
50:53They put maggots and mealworms on banquet tables
50:58at the Watergate Hotel where Netanyahu and the delegation are staying
51:02and released crickets into the hotel.
51:05Any reaction to that and some of the rhetoric we're hearing?
51:08I think that the hotel should be very upset about that,
51:11and that's not a good discourse.
51:15So I think what they're doing is sullying their name.
51:19Those that want to protest need to do so in a manner
51:22where they're working towards a goal,
51:25and that, to me, is not constructive in working towards
51:28whatever their goal happens to be today.
51:31I mean, if it's to play childish antics,
51:35then they've succeeded.
51:38But we need to have good political discourse here,
51:41and that's not helpful towards good political discourse.
51:45And to treat a friend and ally in that manner
51:49to the United States is not helpful.
51:53So that would be my response as a mom.
51:56I'd be swatting my daughter on the rear end
51:59if she had done something like that.
52:01We're here to express strong support for Israel.
52:04We're here also to express strong support for Prime Minister Netanyahu.
52:12Thank you, everyone.