Netanyahu Hosts Group of Republican Lawmakers from the U.S.; Senator Ernst: We Will Always Stand by Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, hosted a group of Republican lawmakers from the U.S. Congress led by Senator Joni Ernst on Monday, September 5, in his office in Jerusalem. The official account of the Prime Minister's office on X (formerly Twitter) published two images of the meeting without mentioning the topics discussed. Joni Ernst, the Republican senator from Iowa, shared images from the meeting on her X account, stating: "We will always stand by Israel and will never cease our efforts to rescue our hostages from Hamas, which is supported by Iran." Jim Banks, John Curtis, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republican lawmakers from Indiana, Utah, and Iowa, were three other members of this American delegation. These four Republican lawmakers also met and discussed with Israel Katz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as part of their itinerary in Israel on Monday. Katz shared a picture from this meeting on X, expressing his appreciation for the lawmakers' support for Israel. According to the Israeli Foreign Minister, they discussed the "truth that the Iranian terrorist regime is behind all terrorist forces in the Middle East, is a driver of regional instability, and represents the root of the problem in our region." Emphasizing the unwavering support of the United States for Israel against attacks from the Iranian government and its affiliated terrorist groups is a bipartisan issue in the U.S., with senior politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties repeatedly stressing this in recent months. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, and senior members of his administration have expressed solidarity with Israel since the early hours of the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, stating that the Israeli government has the right and duty to protect its citizens against any threat. The necessity of establishing a ceasefire and preventing the spread of conflicts throughout the region, returning hostages taken by Hamas, and protecting the lives of Palestinian civilians in Gaza have also been priorities for the Biden administration in recent months. An American official stated that "ceasefire negotiations" in Cairo have been "unproductive" but "constructive" and continue in smaller groups. After 26 days following the killing of Haniyeh, Araqchi stated that the Iranian government's response will be "certain." Forty-eight Republican senators criticized the Biden administration for the "delay" in sending arms to Israel, urging an end to "accommodating" the Islamic Republic. A senior U.S. congressman labeled the Iranian government as the "real devil" of the Middle East.