House Speaker Johnson Says He Will Invite Netanyahu to Address Congress

Sen. Schumer said he would welcome the address despite calling Netanyahu an 'obstacle to peace'

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington to address a joint session of Congress.

“I would love to have him come in and address a joint session of Congress. We’ll certainly extend that invitation,” Johnson said on Thursday, according to NBC News. “We’re just trying to work out schedules on all this.”

Johnson is a staunch supporter of Israel and its slaughter of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. His first move when he became speaker in October was to push through a resolution declaring that the US “stands” with Israel that promised open-ended military support.

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) welcomed the idea of Netanyahu addressing Congress despite recently labeling the Israeli leader an “obstacle to peace” and calling for new Israeli elections.

“Israel has no stronger ally than the United States, and our relationship transcends any one president or any one Prime Minister,” Schumer said in a statement. “I will always welcome the opportunity for the Prime Minister of Israel to speak to Congress in a bipartisan way.”

On Wednesday, Netanyahu spoke with Senate Republicans virtually and vowed his brutal campaign, which has killed at least 31,988 Palestinians, will continue. “He’s going to do what he said he’s going to do. He’s going to finish it,” Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) said after the address.

Netanyahu has a history of controversial addresses to Congress, including in 2015, when he delivered a speech opposing the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He also played a key role in pressuring the Trump administration to tear up the agreement, which kept Iran’s civilian nuclear program under stringent limits.

In 2002, Netanyahu testified before Congress urging that the US invade Iraq, pushing the false narrative that Saddam Hussein had WMDs. “There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking, is working, is advancing towards to the development of nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said.

He also claimed that a regime change in Iraq would inspire a revolution in Iran. “If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region,” he said.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.