By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US Senator Ben Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will preside over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on Wednesday.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, will be outside Washington, D.C. for a previously-scheduled event, according to local media.
Some members of Congress, including Senator Bernie Sanders, are expected to skip Netanyahu's address.
Netanyahu arrived on Monday in the US a day after President Joe Biden announced that he would end his campaign for reelection, endorsing Harris to be the Democratic nominee.
Biden and Netanyahu are expected to meet to discuss ways to reach a deal on a cease-fire in Gaza and the return of hostages. The prime minister is also expected to meet with Harris.
Before his departure for the US, Netanyahu said he would seek to anchor bipartisan support, which is "so important" for Israel, and thank Biden for the things he did for Israel in the Gaza war.
Thousands of people plan to protest Netanyahu’s address to Congress this week in several demonstrations demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.