Americas

Netanyahu Calls for NATO-Like Mideast Security Alliance to Counter 'Iranian Threat'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an address to the US Congress on Wednesday proposed that the United States and Israel should forge a security alliance to counter Iran, in the same way that America allied with Europe to counter the Soviet Union.
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"Now here's my vision for the broader Middle East, it's also shaped in part by what we saw in the aftermath of World War II, after that war, America forged a security alliance in Europe to counter the growing Soviet threat," Netanyahu said.
"Likewise, America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in the Middle East to counter the growing Iranian threat."
All countries that are at peace with Israel and all those countries who will make peace with Israel should be invited to join this alliance, which should be called the "Abraham Alliance," the prime minister noted.
A strong opponent of the two-state solution, Netanyahu told lawmakers Israel must retain overriding security control in Gaza for the foreseeable future.
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"Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza, but for the foreseeable future we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel," he said, doubling down on past remarks on the continued Israeli foothold on Palestinian grounds.
Addressing the ICC dilemma, Netanyahu warned in his speech at the US Capitol building that if the International Criminal Court ties Israel's hands, those of the United States would be next.
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"I want to thank all of you here today who forcefully opposed the false accusations of the [International Criminal Court] and stood up for the truth," said Netanyahu.
"These lies are not only libels, they're downright dangerous. The ICC is trying to shackle Israel's hands and prevent us from defending ourselves, and if Israel's hands are tied, America is next."
Netanyahu's nearly hourlong address effectively saw the official deflect any and all criticism against Israel in regards to its actions in Gaza and the West Bank by underscoring that the Israeli state's survival was at stake.
While Netanyahu did not criticize Biden, he turned his ire towards protesters, pulling no punches against Wednesday's growing crowds or students who earlier took action on college campuses.
From accusing protesters of having poor knowledge of the Middle East to calling them "Iran's useful idiots," Netanyahu opted for claims that the surge in "anti-Israel protests in America" were being funded by Iran.
Outside the Capitol, police deployed pepper spray and arrested multiple demonstrators who took part in the rally, which started at the US Capitol and then continued as most participants moved to nearby Union Station.
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