Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Netanyahu meets US lawmakers on Mideast security issues

The Israeli prime minister and foreign minister hosted U.S. Reps. Abraham Hamadeh and Marlin Stutzman in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, poses with U.S. Reps. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., left, and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., during a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, May 27, 2026. Photo by Amos Ben-Gershom/GPO.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, poses with U.S. Reps. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., left, and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, May 27, 2026. Photo by Amos Ben-Gershom/GPO.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Wednesday evening in his Jerusalem office with U.S. Reps. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., according to his office.

Separately, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he also met the Republican lawmakers, describing “in-depth” talks on regional issues including Lebanon and Syria.

Sa’ar said he emphasized protecting Syria’s minorities and outlined Israel’s objectives in Southern Lebanon, including defending Israeli civilians from Hezbollah attacks “and dismantling the terror kingdom it built there.”

Stutzman, who represents Indiana’s 3rd district in the U.S. House, shared the premier’s X post of their meeting, writing, “Pleasure to meet with you again Mr. Prime Minister.”

Hamadeh, who serves as the U.S representative for Arizona’s 8th congressional district, is the first Arab American elected to Congress from Arizona. Hamadeh is the youngest child of Syrian immigrants and grew up in a mixed-faith household with a Muslim father and Druze mother; he is also of Kurdish descent on his paternal grandmother’s side.

Both men are considered strong supporters of Israel.

See more from JNS Staff
“In many of the countries that have Holocaust envoys or antisemitism envoys, you have to empower them to be able to do something to be effective,” the U.S. special envoy on Jew-hatred told reporters. “You can’t neuter them.”
“In one hour, on Oct. 7, I saw more casualties than I saw for five years,” Guy M. told JNS.
The Israeli premier praised Smit Machchhar during a call after the wounded aviator helped passengers and crew foil a violent midair hijacking.
Israel’s Tax Authority confirmed it had received a list of foreign flight crews, but only checked them for criminal status.