Netanyahu welcomes US House Democrats to Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted a delegation of Democratic members of the U.S. Congress at his office in Jerusalem on Sunday.

The premier said at the start of the meeting that it was an “opportunity to cement our relationship which is always based on a bipartisan relationship between Israel and both sides of the House and both sides of the Senate,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“It’s very important for us, and I view this meeting as an important building block in this relationship,” Netanyahu continued, calling U.S. support for Israel “vitally important” and thanking the lawmakers “from the heart and mind.”

Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia is leading the AIPAC-organized trip to Israel.

Attending the meeting were the Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi, National Public Diplomacy Directorate head Moshe Aviv and the prime minister’s foreign policy adviser.

Last month, Netanyahu and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) discussed the fight against Iran and its terrorist proxies across the Middle East, particularly the threat posed by Lebanon-based Hezbollah, during a meeting in Jerusalem.

“Israel is one of the United States’ most important and cherished allies,” Rachel Dumke, the senator’s deputy communications director, told JNS after the meeting.

Daines heard firsthand about the challenges Israel faces and thanked Netanyahu for his “steadfast leadership,” according to Dumke.

The senator also reaffirmed “our commitment to stand in solidarity with Israel” and discussed “how our nations can further strengthen their partnership in countering the world’s leading sponsor of terror in Iran and achieving energy security,” Dumke said.

Netanyahu earlier in August welcomed a delegation of 24 Democrats from the U.S. House of Representatives to his Jerusalem office led by House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and previous House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

“The Democratic Party in the House of Representatives will continue to stand with Israel in lifting up the special relationship between our two countries and in support of Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people and as a Jewish democratic state. Period. Full stop,” Jeffries said.

The Democrat added that his party will “continue to stand behind that ironclad commitment to provide for Israel’s safety and security.”