Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a video speech to Republican senators in Washington on Wednesday, days after the Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, described him as an obstacle to peace, and that he had lost his way.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters, shortly after leaving the Senate Republicans' political lunch, that Netanyahu joined the gathering via video link, made a presentation, and answered questions.

“We asked for and got an update on the war, the release of the hostages and the efforts to defeat Hamas,” said Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, who invited Netanyahu to address the group. "We told him that Israel has every right to defend itself, and he said that this is exactly what they continue to do," he told reporters after the meeting.

McConnell said that Netanyahu called him last week and asked for an opportunity to address members of his conference and that he accepted the offer. Netanyahu asked to address Senate Democrats during their lunch meeting on Wednesday as well, but Schumer refused to give him this opportunity.

“When you make these issues partisan, you hurt the cause of Israel,” Schumer told reporters on Capitol Hill.

The contradictory responses highlight the growing partisan division over US support for the crushing Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 31,000 Palestinians so far, the overwhelming majority of whom are women and children, and pushed the entire population of the Strip to the brink of famine.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a press conference on Wednesday that he was considering a request to invite Netanyahu to address Congress.

He said: "I think it is very important for us to show solidarity and support for Israel now in its time of great struggle, and we certainly support this position and will try to reinforce that in every possible way." He added that he had a "lengthy" conversation with Netanyahu on Wednesday morning, in which Netanyahu informed him that Schumer's speech last week was "reckless" and "dangerous."

Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in American history, faced severe reactions from Republicans and Israeli political leaders in recent days due to his speech in the Senate, in which he said that Netanyahu had “lost his way” five months after the war began.

McConnell accused Democrats of being hostile to Israel. “It is ridiculous enough for US senators to act as if they were members of the Israeli Knesset (by asking the prime minister to resign) – as if their views should have any impact on how Israel conducts its policies,” McConnell said in a speech on Wednesday. Interior.

Schumer rejected Republican criticism that his comments amounted to "foreign interference" or an attempt to "pressure" an ally for domestic political gain.

Democrat Schumer said: “I gave this speech out of my true love for Israel.” He expressed concern that the behavior of Netanyahu and his far-right ruling partners threatens to turn Israel into an international “pariah.”

Schumer is considered one of the biggest defenders of Israel in all its actions.

Israel has long enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress. But in recent years, Democrats have become increasingly critical of Netanyahu, who, over the course of several US presidencies, has been closely allied with Republicans.

Tensions between Netanyahu and Joe Biden over Israel's behavior in the war on Gaza have come to light in recent weeks, with Biden endorsing Schumer's speech and warning of a large-scale invasion of the southern city of Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's surviving population is sheltered. However, Netanyahu vowed to go ahead with the attack, in defiance of Biden's warnings.

The United States is pressing for a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and time to allow relief groups to transport much-needed food and medicine to the besieged area.