US House leader to invite Netanyahu to address Congress

The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives said on Tuesday he was close to inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address lawmakers even if the Senate's Democratic leader did not go along.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters at the Capitol he had given Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer until Tuesday to sign a letter inviting Netanyahu to address a joint meeting.

"If not, we're going to proceed and invite Netanyahu just to the House," Johnson said.

Schumer confirmed that he was talking to Johnson. "I'm discussing that now with the speaker of the House and, as I've always said, our relationship with Israel is ironclad. It transcends any one prime minister or president," Schumer told reporters at his weekly news conference.

The possible divide between the two parties over the issue underscored the politicization of Israel policy, months before a November presidential election in which Democratic President Joe Biden is running against Republican former President Donald Trump.

Addresses to joint meetings of Congress by foreign leaders are a rare honor generally reserved for the closest US allies or major world figures. 

Netanyahu has already given such addresses three times, most recently in 2015.

Netanyahu would be the first foreign leader ever to address joint meetings of Congress four times. He is currently tied at three with Britain's wartime prime minister, Winston Churchill.

Reuters