Benjamin Netanyahu faces backlash for his awkward interaction with Chuck Schumer at US Congress

WASHINGTON, DC: On Wednesday, July 24, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington, DC for his address to a joint session of Congress, he received mixed reactions, with some Democratic lawmakers choosing not to applaud him on the House floor.

Notably, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had previously criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu's leadership by saying he had “lost his mind” and called for elections in Israel, was among those who did not applaud his arrival on Capitol Hill, according to Times Now.

As Netanyahu walked past Schumer in Congress, an awkward exchange occurred, with the Jewish Democrat nodding at the 74-year-old statesman while receiving minimal recognition in return. The unusual interaction between the two politicians quickly went viral on social media.

What did Benjamin Netanyahu say during his speech to the US Congress on Wednesday?

In his address to the US Congress, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advocated for solidarity between the United States and Israel, emphasizing that the two nations share a common adversary.

He also referred to the pro-Palestine demonstrators in the country as Iran's “useful idiots."

Earlier in March, Sen Chuck Schumer, the first Jewish Majority Leader in the US Congress, had called for an election in Israel, alleging that PM Netanyahu had deviated from the right path. Schumer stated, "Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah."

"As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after October 7. In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election," the Empire State senator claimed.

Following the exit of President Joe Biden, who has been a steadfast supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, from the 2024 presidential race, the Israeli prime minister made sure that his speech was reasonably non-partisan.

While expressing gratitude to the 81-year-old POTUS for the aid provided to Israel by his administration, he also showed appreciation to former President Donald Trump for the Abraham Accords.

He also denounced the assassination attempt on the 78-year-old ex-president, stating that political violence has no place in democracies.

Speaking at the US Congress, he reiterated that achieving a “total victory” in Gaza would require Hamas to surrender, disarm, and release all hostages.

He also presented his vision for a “demilitarized and non-radicalized” Gaza following Israel's “total victory,” which involves maintaining "overriding security control ... to prevent the resurgence of terror."

"The war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms, and returns all the hostages," Netanyahu asserted. "But if they don't, Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas' military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home. That's what total victory means and we will settle for nothing less.

"The day after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza could emerge. My vision for that day is of a demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza, but for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel," he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu slammed for his awkward interaction with Chuck Schumer

Online users criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for bypassing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer without acknowledging him before his address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

One X user remarked, "Schumer was right."

Another user said, "Love it. Bibi shouldn’t be there."

Another user wrote, "Looks like Bibi snubbed Schumer."

One X user quipped, "Breezing by is a 'greeting' now?"

Another user argued, "We stand with ISREAL. Netanyahu is a war crime committing criminal!" [sic]

Finally, this user tweeted, "What an abhorrent excuse for a human being." [sic]

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.