Netanyahu to address Congress on Wednesday, seeking to redirect American attention from Biden to the Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address Congress on Wednesday – seeking to shore up American support for his war in Gaza and redirect the attention of a nation that has been preoccupied for weeks by a stream of domestic political issues.

Netanyahu’s address to Congress comes at a crucial crossroads for the war. US officials have voiced optimism about the prospects of a deal that could free Hamas-held hostages and bring the conflict to an end. Meanwhile, the bulk of the nation’s attention has been focused since last month on discussions surrounding President Joe Biden’s age and mental abilities – which eventually culminated in Biden announcing over the weekend that he would step down from the Democratic ticket – along with the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention.

It also comes as many on the left have become increasingly dissatisfied with the way Netanyahu has waged the war, which has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians and left Gaza in the grips of a humanitarian catastrophe.