TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday met with a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas) at the Kirya (IDF headquarters) in Tel Aviv.

At the start of the meeting, the delegation presented Prime Minister Netanyahu with two declarations supporting Israel and its right to defend itself and to defeat Hamas: One declaration by the Senate and one by the House of Representatives.

The Prime Minister thanked them for the declarations of support.

"This is an expression of the will, the resolve and the moral clarity of the American people as represented by its representatives," Netanyahu told the delegation. "So we thank you deeply. We say that the only thing greater than standing with Israel is standing in Israel, and we appreciate the fact that you're here. And we appreciate deeply your support."

"I have to say that the moral clarity that I was talking about is the fact that the American people, through the Senate and the Congress, and in broad swaths of the American public, understand that this is a battle of civilization against barbarism," he added.

"Israel stands at that front line, but it's fighting not only for itself, but fighting also for America, for the free world and for the hope of progress against these barbarians."

The delegation included US Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), US Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), US Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), US Rep. John James (D-MI), US Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), US Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), US Rep. Madeline Dean (D-PA) and US Rep. Max Miller (R-OH).