Netanyahu and the US Congress 2012

Citing historical precedents in which the US and Israel did not see eye-to-eye and Israel acted according to its own perception of its interests, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted that David Ben-Gurion declared independence against the advice of the US; Levi Eshkol launched a preemptive attack in 1967, against Washington’s counsel; and Menachem Begin decided to bomb the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981 despite US opposition.

The US Congress will always stand by Israel, and the US Congress will never allow Israel to stand alone,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday, standing alongside Netanyahu and the House leadership from both parties. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) echoed his comments Netanyahu thanked the congressional leaders for their support and “remarkable solidarity” when it came to Israel.

Netanyahu delivered a passionate speech to some 13,000 delegates at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference, intoning the “Never Again” mantra and pledging that “as prime minister of Israel, I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation.” The Jewish people are also different. Today we have a state of our own. The purpose of the Jewish state is to secure the Jewish future. That is why Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat.”

Netanyahu reiterated what he had said before meeting Obama: “We must always remain the masters of our fate.”