Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has agreed to join House Speaker Mike Johnson in inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of Congress. Netanyahu has previously addressed Congress three times, with his last speech occurring before the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was signed. Schumer opposed the Iran deal but later advocated against former President Donald Trump pulling out of it. Johnson announced his plans to invite Netanyahu after Schumer referred to the Israeli leader as an “obstacle” to peace in the Middle East.
In response to Schumer’s remarks, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Democrat’s call for new elections in Israel and emphasized the importance of supporting Israel as a sovereign, democratic country. The primary obstacles to peace in the region were described as genocidal terrorists and corrupt Palestinian Authority leaders who have rejected peace deals. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog also commented on the situation, expressing the need to avoid interfering in the domestic political affairs of a democratic ally like Israel.
President Biden and congressional Democrats have pressured Netanyahu for temporary cease-fires during Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Amidst criticisms from left-wing Democrats and anti-Israel groups, Biden and the White House have issued guarded statements supporting the Israeli military’s actions. The president faces concerns about uncommitted votes in Democratic primaries from Muslim and Arab American voters in battleground states like Michigan. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently addressed US lawmakers, urging deterrence against military threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
Speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi has also called for Netanyahu’s resignation following the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Schumer emphasized the strong alliance between the United States and Israel, stating that it transcends any specific president or prime minister. The relationship between the two countries has been tested during negotiations for cease-fires and military actions in the region. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy became the second congressional leader to speak at Israel’s parliament, or Knesset, last year, highlighting the continued engagement and dialogue between the US and Israel.
