The Times of Israel is liveblogging Friday’s events as they unfold.
Netanyahu to address joint session of Congress on July 24 — sources
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on July 24, an Israeli official and an aide to House Speaker Mike Johnson confirm to The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu last week received a formal invitation to address Congress.
It was initially reported that the speech would take place on June 13 but the premier’s office nixed the idea as that would’ve fallen on the second day of the Shavuot holiday.
Spearheaded by Johnson, the invitation was issued after weeks of delay caused by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who gave a speech on the Senate floor in March calling for early elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu. Schumer ultimately acquiesced, saying he was prepared to cooperate in a Netanyahu address as long as it was done in a bipartisan manner.
An official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel last month that Netanyahu has been speaking in recent weeks with interest to Republican Congressional leaders about a potential joint session address, viewing it as an opportunity to make Israel’s war case on the global stage and is less concerned about some of the political fallout within the US.
Republicans, including presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, have been eager to display their support for Netanyahu and expose the Democratic divisions over Israel.
Nearly 60 Democrats boycotted Netanyahu’s last joint session address in 2015, which was organized by Republican Congressional leaders behind the back of then-president Barack Obama in order for the Israeli premier to lobby against the nuclear deal that Washington wound up signing with Iran later that year.
A much larger number of Democrats would likely boycott a Netanyahu speech, as the war in Gaza has become increasingly unpopular among progressives.
Far-left pundit who denied Oct. 7 rape claims axed by The Hill
Far-left commentator Briahna Joy Gray, who has repeatedly sought to cast doubt on the sexual violence perpetrated against Israeli women during the Hamas-led terror onslaught, announces that she has been fired from The Hill where she co-hosted its morning news talk show “Rising.”
Gray claims the decision was politically motivated, charging that The Hill “has a clear pattern of suppressing speech, particularly when it’s critical of the state of Israel.”
Yesterday, Gray went viral when she was caught aggressively rolling her eyes and cutting off the sister of an Israeli hostage who urged her to believe Israeli women.
It finally happened. The Hill has fired me.
There should be no doubt that @RisingTheHill has a clear pattern of suppressing speech — particularly when it's critical of the state of Israel.
This is why they fired @kthalps, & it was only a matter of time before they fired me.… pic.twitter.com/lLqgWjgOIV
— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) June 6, 2024
The Hill’s @briebriejoy rolling her eyes and sighing after Yarden Gonen, sister of a hostage in Gaza, asking her to believe rape victims.
No low this person won’t sink to, truly disgusting. pic.twitter.com/d3A5mW0lsK
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) June 5, 2024