>> that was great. thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> do you solemnly swear that in the testimony you are about to give would be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god? >> saturdays watch american history tvsess investigates as we explore major investigations in our country's history by the u.s. house and senate. each week authors in a storage will tell these stories and see historic footage and examine the impact and legacy of key congressional hearings. this week the making 87 hearings on the iran-contra affair, the clandestine sale of missiles to iran in exchange for the release of hostages in lebanon, proceeds going to contra rebels in nicaragua. watch august investigates saturdays at 7 p.m. eastern on c-span2.

>> the house will be in order. >> this year c-span celebrates 45 years of covering congress like no other. since 1979 we have been your primary source for capitol hill, providing balanced unfiltered coverage of government. all with the support of america's cable companies. c-span, 45 years and counting, powered by cable. >> one welcome to today's "washington journal." we're glad you're with us get started with a portion of the president's speech from yesterday. >> we must give hate no safe harbor against anyone, anyone.o from the very founding are very founding jewish americans represent only about 2% of his population have helped feed the cause of freedom. from my experience we know scapegoating and demonizing any

minority is a threat to every minority and the very foundation of our democracy. so in moments like this, we have to put these principles that were talking about interaction. i understand people a have stg beliefs in the deep convictions about the world. in america, we respect and protect the fundamental right to free speech, to debate and disagree, to protest peacefully and make our voices heard. i understand. that's america. but there was no place on any campus in america, any place in america, for anti-semitism or hate speech or threats of violence of any kind. [applause] whether against jews or anyone else. violent attacks, destroying

property is not peaceful protest. it's against the law. and we're not a lawless country. we're a civil society. we uphold the rule of law. and no one should have to hide or be brave just to be themselves. [applause] to the jewish community, i want you to know i see your fear, you're hurt, and your pain. let me reassure you, as your president, you are not alone. you belong. he always have, and you always will. and my commitment to the safety of the jewish people, the security of israel, and its right to exist as an independent jewish state is ironclad, even when wewe disagree. [applause] >> host: we are getting your reaction to that speech and what

the president is calling a ferocious surge of anti-semitism in the u.s. just a quick update on the war in gaza from the "washington post." it says u.s. paused shippen f thousands of bombs to israel amid rafah raft. the article says the biden administration posit a shipment of thousands of weapons to israel including controversial 2000-pound bombs amid mounting concern about the country plan to expand the military operation in southern gaza that could dramatically increase the conflict death toll, u.s. officials said yesterday. quote israel should not launch a major ground operation in rafah were more than 1 million our children with nowhere else to go. that's according to a senior administration official. we are especially focused on the nga's of the 2000-pound bombs and, in fact, they could have intense urban settings as we've

seen in other parts of gaza. and take a look at this. this this is the rnc in the p campaign have recently put out this ad, arguing that the biden administration isn't doing enough to fight anti-semitism. ♪ ♪ >> president biden is facing pressure to step up its response to anti-semitic incidents on college campuses across the country. >> how does he explain this silence? >> i understand their passion. >> they are accusing president biden's administration of taking and lacks approach. >> why doesn't the president be more forceful type of the protests? >> they have a point. >> we've seen anti-semitism on university campuses, in the public square, and in threats against jewish citizens. this is my pledge to you.

we will confront anti-semitism. we will step out prejudice. we will condemn hate speech. we will bear witness and we will act. when i get back into office g office i will put every single university college president on notice. the american taxpayer was not subsidize the creation of terrorism sympathizers on american soil. i will defend our friend and ally the student if you like nobody has ever defended it before. always stand with the jewish people. >> host: and will go to the phones now and start with david in minnesota, independent line. good morning. >> caller: good morning. yeah, the rise of anti-semitism is mostly due to a change in definition.

it's not more people being at the semitic, such as marching in the street with tiki torches saying certain groups will not replace us. it's more people calling for an end to the oppression of palestinians saying they want them to live, and wanting to equal rights such as everyone in america has an equal vote. edwin in america's equal access to government programs. people just want palestinians to have that same access and same ability. and then see from shining sea like a or c2 river, similar to america. i just don't think that equates to something you should kill people over, wanting equal rights. and all this holocaust remembered today, i just think it's terrible that were using

one genocide to justify another genocide. >> host: i want to ask you about from the river to the sea, this is what the adl put out. the anti-defamation league. says this, so want to get your reaction to. on the river to the sea, palestine will be free is an anti-semitic slogans commonly featured in at the israel campaigns and chanted at demonstrations. this rallying cry has long been used by anti-israel voices including supporters of terrorist organization such as hamas. which seek israel's destruction through violent means. it is fundamentally a call for a palestinian state, extending from the jordan river to the mediterranean sea. territory that includes the state of visual which would mean the dismantling of the m jewish state. what do you think of that, david? i mean what would happen to the state of israel? >> caller: so currently there's a country called israel

that has the west bank and gaza where palestinians live and israeli settlers have taken the land. so in my mind what would happen is the would be a whole country. i don't call it, i look at what you call it, where everyone would have equal rights. it wouldn't be a jewish state, it wouldn't be a palestinian state. it would be a true democracy, estate for all its people were anyone could live safely with equal rights. that's what the river to the sea means. >> host: on one-state solution then? >> caller: yes. also could i say one more thing? the adl was also against the bds movement in south africa and against ending the apartheid there. so really they are that apartheid defense league i don't think we should take them seriously because they will call anyone who calls for an individual and an end to the apartheid anti-semitic. that's just not true. there's palestinian jews.

there's palestinian christians. no one is asking for anyone to hurt the jewish people or the israeli people which are different which is another thing that's leading to -- >> host: i have to move on, david, but you're right, they're deathly palestinian christians. alice dineen jews were granted citizenship in israel. just to clarify. >> caller: not all of them. >> host: stephanie in melbourne florida independent-minded go ahead. >> caller: yes. i would like to say hello, good morning. i like to say that israel has made a new fool out of that white house. israel politics is creeping into congress media. into congress, , the media and e presidency. for students who protest against genocide, it is not at the semitic, and the more you repeat

israel's terms on c-span, the more they get to highlight those anti-semitic vibes they are saying. stop the lies, america. stop israeli genocide. african americans, if could use racism like design issues, oh boy, would we have rights? thanke you. >> host: all right. and joshua is republican in silver spring, maryland. good morning. >> caller: good morning. i think what is issue here is is issued his anti-semitic forms of anti-israel discussion. it's really important to recognize that commenting on israeli government policy is totally fine, standing against the government, bibi netanyahu totally fine, but when you're out there protesting, i've been to the campus on the campuses, and it's one thing to be out

there protesting for palestinian rights, for a palestinian state, great, you want to promote that and want to advocate for that but what's happening at these enchantments, the messages that point out or that focus on slogans like intifada which calls for violence against jewish people and israelis, when you're screening death decides, zionist out of here, it's no longer just an expression of a desire for freedom for people. it is an expression of hate and a expression for violence against a group specifically jewish people and for those who say it's just over some sinus and -- >> we will lead this and take you live to u.s. senate which is gathered back in. members continue work on a measure to reauthorize funding for the federal aviation administration for another five ye