Netanyahu heading to Washington with US in flux over election race

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington this week, under pressure to end the Gaza war both from Israelis who want hostages brought home and from a US administration focusing increasingly on the presidential election.

The visit, Netanyahu's first to his most important international ally since returning for a record sixth term as prime minister at the end of 2022, has been overshadowed by President Joe Biden's decision not to seek reelection.

A meeting with Biden is tentatively planned for Tuesday if the president has recovered from Covid-19, and Netanyahu is scheduled to address the US Congress on Wednesday.

After months of frosty relations with Washington over how Israel has conducted its offensive launched in Gaza after the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, the visit offers Netanyahu a platform to try to reset relations with Washington.

His speech to Congress is expected to focus on coordinating the Israeli and US response to the volatile situation in the Middle East, where there is a growing danger of the Gaza war spilling over into a wider regional conflict.

The speech is likely to be less confrontational than an address Netanyahu gave to Congress in 2015, when he criticised Barack Obama's drive as president for a nuclear deal with Iran.

US pressure on Israel for a resumption of talks on reaching a political agreement with the Palestinians, and a US threat to withhold arms, have underlined perceptions in Israel that ties with Washington have weakened under Netanyahu. He has also faced protests in Israel demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Part of the goal is to try to show that with all that's been said, with all the protests, Netanyahu is still the leader, still has support, he still has strong relations with America," said Yonatan Freeman, an international relations specialist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The invitation for Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress - a rare honour generally reserved for the closest US allies - was orchestrated by the House of Representatives' Republican leadership, which has accused Biden of not showing sufficient support for Israel.

There was no immediate sign that Netanyahu will see Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The two forged a close relationship during Trump's presidency but Trump has since criticised Netanyahu and said the Gaza war must end quickly.

Isolated

Although his welcome in Congress should be generally warm, protests roiling US campuses suggest Netanyahu's reception outside official Washington may be hostile.

Activists opposing Israel's offensive in Gaza and Washington's support for Israel plan protests at the US Capitol on Wednesday. Police expect a "large number of demonstrators" and are making additional security arrangements but said there were no known threats.

Israel has been isolated internationally over its campaign in Gaza, which Gaza health authorities say has killed almost 39,000 Palestinians, the expansion of settlement-building in the occupied West Bank and Jewish settlers' attacks on Palestinians.

An opinion issued on Friday by the International Court of Justice that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal was criticised by Washington. But it followed similar developments including a decision by the International Criminal Court's prosecutor to seek an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

In Israel, Netanyahu faces growing calls for a deal that would halt the fighting in Gaza and allow the return of 120 hostages - alive or dead - still held in the enclave run by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Netanyahu has resisted pressure for an inquiry into the security failures before the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which 1,200 people were kilned and over 250 abducted into Gaza.

Opinion polls show most Israelis hold him responsible and would vote him out if elections were held.

Netanyahu will be accompanied by Noa Argamani, a hostage rescued by Israeli commandos last month. Her presence has been criticised by other hostage families who say Netanyahu has not been doing enough to secure the release of their loved ones.