US House Speaker warns Israel against China in Knesset address

The second US House Speaker to address the Knesset, Kevin McCarthy, on his first overseas trip, said on Monday: “There’s no place I’d rather be,” adding “Israel’s light shines brighter 75 years after declaring independence than ever before.” The first speaker to address the Knesset was Newt Gingrich in 1998. McCarthy went on to warn Israel to do more to ensure China does not steal its technology. In another comment, he said that if President Joe Biden does not invite Israel’s Binyamin Netanyahu to the White House soon, he would ask the prime minister to meet with Congress.

The Knesset’s summer session was launched by Netanyahu. After welcoming the guest in English, he said: “With good will a compromise is possible,” in reference to the ongoing dialogue to resolve the controversy over the government’s judicial reform plan.