America and Israel must remain united, stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of his speech to the US Congress, which was met with prolonged applause from standing Republican parliamentarians, AFP reported.

In contrast, some Democratic Party representatives remained seated. Netanyahu expressed gratitude to US President Joe Biden for his sincere support for Israel, Reuters noted.

Addressing US lawmakers, Netanyahu mentioned his government's active efforts to free hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza, expressing confidence in the success of these efforts. He also condemned the "axis of terror" in Iran.

"In the Middle East, the Iranian 'axis of terror' is challenging the United States, Israel, and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations, but a clash between barbarism and civilization," he stated from the House of Representatives rostrum.

Netanyahu's address was boycotted by dozens of Democrats, who were outraged by the high death toll among the Palestinian population and alarmed by the humanitarian crisis resulting from Israel's war against Hamas.