Could it be that House Speaker John Boehner led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to believe that his invitation for the prime minister to speak before Congress in March was bipartisan?
"It appears that the speaker of Congress made a move, in which we trusted, but which it ultimately became clear was a one-sided move and not a move by both sides," Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said on a Tel Aviv radio program.
Boehner's invitation for Netanyahu to speak on Iran, extended without consultation with the White House, has stirred partisan tensions. The White House called it a breach of diplomatic protocol. House Democrats have met with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer to register their displeasure, and some have said they will boycott the speech.
Nonetheless, Hanegbi indicated that Netanyahu would still make the March 3 speech, which also comes two weeks before Israeli elections.
"The Republicans know, as the president has already made clear, that he will veto this legislation. So in order to pass legislation that overcomes the veto, two-thirds are required in the Senate," Hanegbi said. "So if the prime minister can persuade another one or two or another three or four, this could have weight."
He said that the speech could still help secure the two-thirds vote needed to override President Obama's promised veto on any new sanctions on Iran.
Interesting that the Republicans went against protocol and invited the Prime Minister to speak to the U. S. Congress in an effort to circumvent our President, America's leader. How shifty is that! For Netanyahu, the speech offered a high-profile chance to push his top objective: derailing negotiations to arrest Iran's nuclear weapons program, which he's convinced will produce a deal that leaves Israel vulnerable. The timing of the speech, two weeks before Israeli elections, could also give Netanyahu a political boost. We'll see if the plan works and if this move will be successful.
Boehner's move again tells the country and the world of the GOP's political animus against the President. Let's see if Netanyahu benefits in the Israeli elections and can change the minds of the U. S. Congress. . Regardless, our President continues to move forward.
Source: Talking Points Memo
Related article: Boehner's Netanyahu Ploy Runs on the Rocks: Our View. USA Today's Editorial Opinion
0 comments:
Post a Comment