This week, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) presented Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) with a choice. Either Schumer joins his letter inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress, or the House will proceed with extending an invitation on its own.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Johnson informed reporters that his office had informed Schumer’s staff the previous day. The message was clear: if the Senate leader did not sign the draft invitation for Netanyahu by Tuesday, Johnson would proceed with inviting the Israeli prime minister to address only the House. However, Johnson made it clear that senators would still be invited to attend the speech.
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Yesterday, my office informed Senator Schumer’s office that he must sign the joint letter. If he refuses, we will move forward and extend an invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu exclusively to the House. Additionally, I will personally send individual invitations to senators.
Johnson responded by stating that the deadline for Schumer is “Today.”
Schumer restated on Tuesday that he is willing to have the Israeli leader visit the Capitol, despite his previous call for new elections in the Middle East and his declaration that Netanyahu had “lost his way” in a speech on the Senate floor in March.
When questioned about his stance on having Netanyahu address a joint meeting of Congress, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in U.S. history, expressed his support with a simple “Yes.”
“I am currently in discussions with the Speaker of the House regarding this matter. As I have consistently emphasized, our relationship with Israel is strong and goes beyond any individual prime minister or president,” he stated.
Johnson’s deadline comes after Schumer’s office informed The Hill earlier this month about the Senate leader’s intention to join the invitation. The timing for his participation is currently being worked out.
Johnson had sent a draft letter to Schumer inviting Netanyahu to address Congress last month. However, Schumer had not taken any action on it.
The Speaker wasted no time responding to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) request for arrest warrants for several Israeli and Hamas leaders, which included Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ultimatum was issued on the same day as the ICC’s request, demonstrating a swift and decisive response.
Both Johnson and Schumer criticized the decision made by the ICC, with Johnson describing it as baseless and Schumer condemning it as reprehensible.
If Netanyahu does address Congress as planned, it is expected to provoke anger among liberals who have criticized his government and expressed concerns about the increasing number of deaths in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed his support for the ICC’s request for arrest warrants, stating that the global community must uphold international law. He acknowledged that the execution of these warrants may be uncertain, but emphasized the importance of abiding by international legal standards.
In addition, the speech would serve as a noteworthy moment in the dynamic between Schumer and Netanyahu. This comes after the Senate leader criticized Netanyahu during a floor speech and advocated for new elections in the country.
In a recent statement, the speaker voiced concerns over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions, highlighting the negative effects they have had on Israel’s political and moral landscape. Furthermore, the speaker criticized Netanyahu’s lack of initiative in pursuing peace and stated that the current coalition under his leadership is no longer suitable for Israel’s needs beyond October 7th. As a lifelong supporter of Israel, the speaker expressed their disappointment in Netanyahu’s approach.
Netanyahu criticized Schumer’s remarks as “totally inappropriate” at the time.
In 2015, Netanyahu made a trip to the Capitol to address Congress. However, several Democrats chose to boycott his speech as a form of protest against the Israeli leader. During his address, Netanyahu openly criticized then-President Obama for his stance on the Iran nuclear deal.
