Speaker Mike Johnson to Address Knesset Amid Israel’s War in Gaza, Iran Talks

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced on June 11 that he will address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, in a special session on June 22.

This comes as Israel has been fighting in Gaza since the Hamas terrorist group’s attack on the Jewish state on Oct. 7, 2023, during which it killed more than 1,000 people and took 251 others hostage. The United States is seeking to reach a cease-fire deal that results in the release of the 55 remaining hostages, about 20 of whom are believed to be still alive.

“It will be one of the highest honors of my life to address the Israeli Knesset at this fateful moment,” Johnson said in a statement. “Our ties run deeper than military partnerships and trade agreements. We’re bound by the same beliefs, the same psalms, and the same sacred pursuit of liberty.”

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana expressed admiration for Johnson.

“Mike Johnson is a great friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” he said in a statement.

“From the moment he was elected, he not only expressed his support through words but also took decisive action, even at the risk of his position, to support Israel in its most challenging moments. I hold him in great esteem, believe he is highly deserving of addressing the Knesset, and look forward to hosting him and hearing his words to the nation.”

Johnson’s speech also comes amid reports of rising anti-Semitism in the United States.

On June 1, a man in Boulder, Colorado, threw two Molotov cocktails at a crowd that was calling for the release of the hostages. Eight people were burned in the incident. The suspect, Mohammed Soliman, allegedly yelled “Free Palestine!” while throwing the projectiles. He has been federally charged with one count of a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin. He also faces state charges, including attempted first-degree murder.

The House this week passed resolutions condemning the incident.

On May 22, a man shot and killed two young Israeli diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, was charged with first-degree murder, the murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. After the shooting, Rodriguez allegedly yelled “Free Palestine” and said, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to Eric Lee, Soliman’s attorney, for comment. A lawyer for Rodriguez could not be found.

Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) held a vigil outside the U.S. Capitol on June 10 to remember Lischinsky and Milgrim.

“The monster who murdered them was not motivated by peace, but something very different,” Johnson said. “He went to a Jewish museum to hunt down Jewish people. And we want to be crystal clear tonight: this is targeted antisemitic terrorism. There are no shades of gray and there is no other way to describe it.”

Johnson’s upcoming remarks to the Knesset also come as the United States has been seeking to broker a nuclear deal with Iran. The Trump administration has said that Iran cannot possess the capability to make nuclear weapons.

The last speaker of the House to address the Knesset was former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in 2023.