Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in the United States on Monday, with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both absent to greet him upon arrival.
In a video that the Israeli Embassy to the U.S. posted, Netanyahu was seen walking down the steps of an airplane and shaking hands with several people waiting at the bottom.
Biden’s absence comes as he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The president’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, released a letter saying Biden had “completed his tenth dose of PAXLOVID” and that his symptoms were “almost resolved completely.”
The Consul General of Israel in New York Ofir Akunis was reported to have been among the people who greeted Netanyahu after his plane had landed, according to the Times of Israel.
Welcome to Washington, D.C., @IsraeliPM Benjamin Netanyahu! 🇮🇱🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aOU3E3obig
— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) July 22, 2024
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also notably not present to greet Netanyahu upon his arrival in the U.S.
Netanyahu’s arrival comes ahead of his speech before Congress on Wednesday. In June, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released a letter inviting Netanyahu to speak before a joint meeting of members of the United States House and Senate.
Harris and the Senate President Pro-Tempore Patty Murray (D-WA) have reportedly refused to preside over Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) previously stated that he would “not attend” the speech given by Netanyahu, whom he described as a “war criminal.”
Several sources told Axios in June that House Democrats had been discussing holding counter-programing to Netanyahu’s speech.
Netanyahu has received criticism over Israel’s ongoing military offensive in the Hamas-controlled territory of Gaza.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched an attack on Israel, murdering 1,200 people and taking more than 250 people hostage. In response, Israel launched a full-scale invasion of Gaza to destroy Hamas.
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