Thune Welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the U.S. Capitol
“I want to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for meeting with us, and assure him of the United States’ continued support for Israel.”
February 6, 2025
February 6, 2025
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:
Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):
“Mr. President, earlier this morning I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu here in the Capitol.
“We had a good discussion about Israel’s security and about the imperative of the return of the rest of the hostages, who have been held in Hamas captivity for well over a year.
“I enjoyed a candid personal discussion with the prime minister and was pleased that both Republican and Democrat colleagues were later able to join for a bipartisan conversation.
“After a number of my Democrat colleagues boycotted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress last year, it is good that Democrat leaders chose to attend this meeting.
“It would have been even better if Democrats had chosen to support the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, and we had been able to tell Prime Minister Netanyahu that the Senate had passed this legislation in response to the International Criminal Court’s illegitimate targeting of Israeli leaders.
“But unfortunately two weeks ago all of my Democrat colleagues – all, all of them, save one – voted to block this bill.
“The Democrat leader actually celebrated the fact that Democrats had blocked this legislation – even though allowing the ICC’s rogue actions to go unchecked could put not only Israelis but Americans in the ICC’s crosshairs.
“That’s right, Mr. President.
“Responding to the ICC’s illegitimate targeting of Israeli leaders is not just about protecting our ally Israel, it’s also about protecting our own citizens – our own servicemembers in particular.
“Just a few years ago, the ICC opened an investigation into American servicemembers – despite the fact that, like Israel, the United States is not party to the ICC and thus is not under its jurisdiction.
“It was good to hear this morning that President Trump will impose sanctions in response to the ICC’s targeting of Israeli leaders – and to protect American servicemembers.
“I am grateful that we have a president who will stand up for our citizens – and for our ally Israel, as he has made clear already, including with his decision to prohibit funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
“This agency not only has a history of anti-Israel sentiment, but has a number of workers with ties to terrorist groups, and actually, if you can believe this, had workers participate in the October 7, 2023, attack.
“I was also pleased by President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the so-called Human Rights Council at the United Nations, which unfairly targets Israel.
“And I’m grateful that President Trump is taking a strong stand against one of the greatest enemies of peace in the Middle East, Iran.
“Iran has spent decades fomenting unrest and terror, including providing funding and training to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
“And the president’s recent national security memorandum was a welcome statement that Iranian aggression will no longer be tolerated.
“The president has restored the maximum economic pressure campaign to bankrupt Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its terrorist proxies.
“Mr. President, it’s good to see this kind of leadership.
“I want to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for meeting with us, and assure him of the United States’ continued support for Israel.
“And I look forward to working with President Trump to defend our allies and to protect our nation.”
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