Israel will be the United States’ strongest ally in the Middle East regardless of who is elected president in November, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday before flying to Washington, where he was due to address the U.S. Congress.

The visit, Mr Netanyahu’s first to his most important international ally since returning for a record sixth term as prime minister at the end of 2022, has been overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection.

Mr Netanyahu said he would thank Biden for all he has done for Israel throughout his career and discuss with him issues such as securing the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, defeating the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, and confronting Iran and its proxies in the region.

A meeting with Biden is tentatively planned for Tuesday if the 81-year-old president has recovered from COVID-19.

Mr Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday.

“I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America’s indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East,” he told reporters before taking off.

“In this time of war and uncertainty, it’s important that Israel’s enemies know that America and Israel stand together today, tomorrow and always,” Mr Netanyahu said, adding that he wanted to “anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel.”

After months of frosty relations with Washington over how Israel has conducted its offensive launched in Gaza after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, the visit offers Netanyahu a platform to try to reset relations with Washington.

His speech to Congress is expected to focus on coordinating the Israeli and U.S. response to the volatile situation in the Middle East, where there is a growing danger of the Gaza war spilling over into a wider regional conflict.

The speech is likely less confrontational than Mr Netanyahu’s address to Congress in 2015 when he criticised Barack Obama’s drive as president for a nuclear deal with Iran.

U.S. pressure on Israel for a resumption of talks on reaching a political agreement with the Palestinians and a U.S. threat to withhold arms have underlined perceptions in Israel that ties with Washington have weakened under Mr Netanyahu.

He has also faced protests in Israel demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

(Reuters/NAN)