(The Center Square) – Actions of the Carolina fraternity brothers with the American flag drew the praise of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and led to a joint session of Congress rising for a standing ovation and chanting, “USA! USA! USA!”
Netanyahu spoke Wednesday afternoon, ironically enough, on a day when American flags were being taken down nearby outside of Union Station so the flag of Palestine could be raised in its place. Protestors also carried the flag of Hamas, the terror group in its 292nd day holding eight Americans among more than 100 hostages, including Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel.
“I wish to salute the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina for protecting the American flag against these anti-Israel protestors,” Netanyahu said as cheers swelled around his voice and Congress rose to its feet in applause.
The rail station scene outside was replication of the Polk Place Quad on the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina in April. There, fraternity brothers recovered Old Glory and with the help of interim chancellor Lee Roberts and law enforcement, raised it back in place.
The prime minister showed his acuity for what is happening on American soil in the protests. In one example, he said, “It’s absolutely amazing. Some of these protestors hold up signs proclaiming ‘gays for Gaza.’ They might as well hold up signs saying ‘chickens for KFC.’”
North Carolina’s congressional delegation included one Democrat, Rep. Valerie Foushee, explaining her decision not to attend and another, Rep. Kathy Manning, from her party explaining why she did. Foushee is expected to win reelection in the 4th Congressional District; Manning was upset by maps drawn for the 6th and chose not to try.
Foushee referenced a Biden plan from June she says had international support. In choosing not to attend, she said Netanyahu’s “government has stalled progress toward peace in the region, prolonging the conflict and risking a greater regional war.”
She said “... the United States must demonstrate leadership in building durable peace, which includes holding the Israeli government accountable for its actions when necessary.”
Manning, born to Jewish parents in Michigan just over 67 years ago about a decade after the Holocaust, wrote on social media, “Israel is our strongest, most dependable, and only democratic ally in the Middle East. Today, I’m attending the prime minister of Israel’s joint address to Congress to reaffirm bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
The pingpong paddle size sign held by Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., during Netanyahu’s speech – white letters on a black background reading “war criminal” – drew several social media responses from Republicans. “Disgusting” wrote Sen. Thom Tillis; “shameful” wrote Rep. Richard Hudson; and Rep. Dr. Greg Murphy wrote that she “continues to show she hates democracy and this country.”
Tlaib, of Islam faith, is the first woman in Congress that is Palestinian American.
Republican Reps. Hudson and Chuck Edwards thanked the prime minister for making it a point to include the collegians in his speech. Edwards also posted a photo of the seat Vice President Kamala Harris would have occupied beneath the words “In God We Trust,” an American flag, and put words on the image saying, “Where is VP Harris?”
Republican Sen. Ted Budd spoke at a press conference organized by Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst.
“I don’t think that snubbing our Middle East ally does what we need to do to stop the Hamas terrorists,” he said. “I think it’s time to regain our moral compass, and it’s time for officials like Vice President Harris to show up and fully support Prime Minister Netanyahu.”
In a television interview Wednesday night, Budd said of the Palestinian flag being raised at the rail station, “That was an atrocity.”
Rep. Virginia Foxx, speaking from her role as chairwoman for the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the House of Representatives, said Netanyahu is right that adversaries are emboldened by Americans’ antisemitism.
In a statement, she said, “To those who participated in illegal encampments, harassed Jewish peers, and chanted ‘from the river to the sea’ on college campuses: Stop being ‘Iran’s useful idiots.’”
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a potential Democratic presidential ticket mate of Harris, didn’t issue a statement or social media post about Netanyahu or the war. Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a candidate for governor, reposted a video showing an American flag being burned at Union Station.
Robinson wrote on social media, “These are the radical activists that @kamalaharris and supporters are placating by boycotting Israeli prime minister’s speech to Congress. @JoshStein, Kamala Harris and the Democrats side with Hamas terrorists. The rest of us stand with Israel.”
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