Netanyahu stresses US-Israel ties
Israeli prime minister addresses the US Congress, thanking America for its "steadfast" support for his country.
Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has begun his address to the US Congress, stressing the close ties between the two nations.
In his speech on Tuesday, the Israeli leader thanked Barack Obama, the US president, for his "steadfast" support in ensuring Israel's security and spoke of his fears that Iran might develop a nuclear weapon.
"I do see a lot of old friends here. And I see a lot of new friends of Israel," he said, to thunderous applause.
Israel enjoys strong bipartisan backing in Congress and the Israeli leader was given several standing ovations as he delivered a speech aimed at stressing Israel's position as a democratic "friend of America" in the Middle East.
A heckler interrupted Netanyahu early in his speech, as he was referencing the recent events in Egypt and Tunisia, but Netanyahu countered by saying such a protest was an indication of "real democracy".
"Israel is not what is wrong with the Middle East," said Netanyahu. "Israel is what is right about the Middle East."
Netanyahu had addressed a conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) late on Monday in which he said he would use his address to Congress to speak "the unvarnished truth" about what was necessary for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Source: Al Jazeera
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