Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was welcomed by a standing ovation by lawmakers on Wednesday afternoon.
Netanyahu, as he made the way to the podium, was greeted with a nearly 4 minute-long standing ovation.
During the opening of his speech, Netanyahu gave honor to several of the hostages and their families who were kidnapped during the October 7th Hamas terror attack.
Watch lawmakers give Netanyahu a standing ovation here:
Speaker Mike Johnson introduces Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu to Congress as “his excellency.”
Bibi then recieves standing ovation from both sides of the isle.
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— AF Post (@AFpost) July 24, 2024
Netanyahu Received With Massive Standing Ovation From Both Sides of the Aisle pic.twitter.com/SGINuBhs1Q
— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby) July 24, 2024
Here’s what the Times of Israel reported:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is introduced to a standing ovation as he shakes hands with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as he arrives to address a joint session of Congress.
Three Democrats, including Rashida Tlaib, remain seated and do not clap.
The applause, whistles and cheers continue for well over a minute.The cheers grow louder as Netanyahu takes the stage, with Republicans noticeably more enthusiastic.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 Netanyahu’s speech at Congress opens up with a standing ovation for an entire 4 minutes pic.twitter.com/8j3SxAdePN
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) July 24, 2024
Here’s what The Hill reported:
Pro-Palestinian protesters made their presence known around the Capitol on Wednesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
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addresses a joint meeting of Congress.
Thousands of demonstrators demanded the arrest of Netanyahu, who has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
A number of Democrats are boycotting the speech, which comes at the invitation of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), as anger boils over Netanyahu’s refusal to end the war and inability to secure the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.However, nearly everyone in attendance stood for an ovation as Netanyahu entered the House chamber — with a couple notable exceptions.
Johnson sent a letter to House members Tuesday warning against “any disruption of the proceedings of the rules and may subject the offenders to prosecution.”
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