Speaker Johnson inches closer to inviting Netanyahu to speak before Congress

The Republican leader of the U.S. House of Representatives stated on Tuesday that he was nearing the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address lawmakers, even if the Senate’s Democratic leader did not agree to it.

House Speaker Mike Johnson informed reporters at the Capitol that he had set a deadline for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to sign a letter inviting Netanyahu to speak at a joint meeting.

“If not, we will proceed and extend an invitation to Netanyahu specifically for the House,” Johnson said.

Schumer confirmed that discussions were ongoing with Johnson. “I’m currently in talks with the Speaker of the House, and as I have always emphasized, our relationship with Israel is unwavering. It goes beyond any individual prime minister or president,” Schumer told reporters during his weekly news briefing.

The potential divide between the two political parties on this matter highlighted the politicization of Israel policy, especially with the upcoming November presidential election where Democratic President Joe Biden is up against Republican former President Donald Trump.

Republicans have criticized Biden for delaying a weapons shipment to Israel, despite other U.S. arms shipments to the country continuing. 

Israel initiated an attack on Gaza following Hamas militants’ assault on Israel in October, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and over 250 hostages, as per Israeli reports.

Over 35,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, with widespread malnutrition and significant displacement and infrastructure damage in Gaza.

Biden’s approach to the conflict has sparked protests from his fellow Democrats and on college campuses nationwide. Biden has encouraged Netanyahu to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza and opposed a large-scale offensive in Rafah.

Netanyahu, who has typically aligned himself with U.S. Republicans, addressed party members in the Senate via video link in March, following Schumer’s Senate speech criticizing him and calling for new elections in Israel.

Addressing joint meetings of Congress by foreign leaders is a rare privilege typically reserved for close U.S. allies or prominent global figures. Netanyahu has addressed Congress three times before, with the most recent in 2015.

In 2015, Netanyahu was invited to address a joint meeting without consulting then-Democratic President Barack Obama, aligning with Republicans against Obama’s Iran nuclear deal.

If Netanyahu were to speak to a joint meeting again, he would be the first foreign leader to do so four times, tying with Winston Churchill who also spoke three times in the past.