Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress Wednesday, thanking the Biden administration for supporting Israel’s assault on Gaza, which has killed over 39,000 Palestinians, and pledging to carry on until Israel achieves “total victory.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization.”

Netanyahu also falsely accused Iran of funding the pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking place outside the Capitol.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.”

Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, held up a sign that read “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other as she watched the proceedings. In a statement, Tlaib wrote, “It is a sad day for our democracy when my colleagues will smile for a photo op with a man who is actively committing genocide.” About half of House and Senate Democrats — more than 100 lawmakers — chose not to attend Netanyahu’s address. Many of them gathered at a side event to call for a ceasefire.

Netanyahu is meeting with President Biden at the White House today; he’ll also meet separately with Vice President Kamala Harris. On Friday, he is scheduled to meet with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.