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. This decision comes after Schumer previously called for new elections in Israel with the aim of removing Netanyahu from office. Netanyahu has previously addressed Congress three times, with his last speech being delivered before the signing of the Iran nuclear deal in 2015. Schumer, who opposed the Iran deal, later advocated against former President Donald Trump pulling out of the arrangement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced his plan to invite Netanyahu to speak to members of Congress in March, one week after Schumer criticized Netanyahu and labeled him an obstacle to peace in the Middle East. In response to Schumer’s remarks, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell rebuked him for his unprecedented comments, stating that Israel deserves an ally that acts like one and that the primary obstacles to peace in the region are genocidal terrorists and corrupt leaders of the Palestinian Authority.
President Biden and congressional Democrats have pressured Netanyahu for temporary cease-fires during Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Although negotiations have stalled the planned Israel Defense Forces invasion of Rafah, Biden and the White House have issued guarded statements supporting Israel’s military actions. However, far-left Democrats in Congress and anti-Israel agitators have criticized Netanyahu’s actions, putting pressure on the administration.
Tens of thousands of “uncommitted” votes in US Democratic primaries from Muslim and Arab American voters have posed a threat to President Biden’s re-election campaign in key battleground states like Michigan. The last foreign dignitary to address US lawmakers was Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who spoke about deterring aggression and ensuring peace against growing military and nuclear threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also became the second congressional leader in US history to deliver a speech to Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, last year.
Schumer reiterated the strong relationship between the United States and Israel, saying that their alliance transcends any one president or prime minister. He expressed his support for Netanyahu speaking before Congress in a bipartisan manner, despite criticism from some Democratic leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called for Netanyahu’s resignation in April. While negotiations and statements surrounding Israel’s conflict with Hamas continue, the invitation for Netanyahu to address Congress reflects ongoing political dynamics between the US and Israel.
