Late this week House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that he will go through with inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington in order to address a joint session of Congress, and to emphasize solidarity with Israel amid its ongoing war against Hamas.
Johnson's Thursday statement suggests the invitation has already been extended: "I would love to have him come in and address a joint session of Congress. We’ll certainly extend that invitation," he said to NBC News. "We’re just trying to work out schedules on all this."
Johnson has in turn recently been asked by Israeli officials to speak at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
Even though all of this has come in direct response to Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's scathing anti-Netanyahu speech issued earlier this month, Schumer now says he welcomes the idea of Netanyahu addressing Congress.
Schumer had said Israel risks becoming a "pariah" under Netanyahu's failed policies, and highlighted the soaring Palestinian civilian death toll in the war against Hamas. He even called for new elections in Israel.
"Israel has no stronger ally than the United States, and our relationship transcends any one president or any one Prime Minister," Schumer has responded in a statement. "I will always welcome the opportunity for the Prime Minister of Israel to speak to Congress in a bipartisan way."
It must be remembered, however, the Netanyahu once addressed Congress - all the way back in 2002 - where he helped the Bush administration deceive the American public concerning Saddam Hussein and WMDs.
He had testified during that appearance over two decades ago, "There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking, is working, is advancing towards to the development of nuclear weapons."
Netanyahu had also dubiously said, "If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region."
That alone should disqualify him from ever being welcomed to speak to Congress and the American people again. But apparently both sides of the aisle are welcoming Johnson's plan.
