Democrats to Boehner: Postpone Netanyahu speech

They argue that the March address “places Israel … in the middle of a policy debate between Congress and the White House.”

POLITICO

Three House Democrats are circulating a letter they plan to send to Speaker John Boehner, urging the top Republican to “postpone” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.

Reps. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Maxine Waters of California said Boehner’s invitation for Netanyahu to speak March 3 is “harmful for three reasons: it undermines the president’s foreign policy; it puts a close ally in the middle of a domestic political debate, and it elevates a candidate in a foreign election.”

“A visit from Israel’s Prime Minister would normally be an occasion for bipartisan cooperation and support,” the Democrats write. “Our relationship with Israel is too important to use as a pawn in political gamesmanship. We strongly urge you to postpone this invitation until Israelis have cast their ballots and our consideration of the current round of Iran-related legislation has concluded. When the Israeli Prime Minister visits us outside the specter of partisan politics, we will be delighted and honored to greet him or her on the Floor of the House.”

Israelis go to the polls March 17.

The letter accuses Boehner of launching “an attempt to promote new sanctions legislation against Iran that could undermine critical negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran.”

“At the State of the Union President Obama made it clear that he will veto new Iran sanctions legislation,” they write. “The invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu enlists a foreign leader to influence a Presidential policy initiative. We should be able to disagree on foreign policy within our American political system and without undermining the Presidency. Aside from being improper, this places Israel, a close and valued ally, in the middle of a policy debate between Congress and the White House.

They add: “As members of Congress who support Israel, we share concern that it appears that you are using a foreign leader as a political tool against the president. We should not turn our diplomatic friendship into a partisan issue. Beyond threatening our diplomatic priorities, the timing of this invitation offers the Congressional platform to elevate a candidate in a foreign election.”

Boehner has been unbending in his desire to have Netanyahu address the House in March. He said the House has the “right” to extend the invitation.

“The House of Representatives is a equal branch of the government, and we have a right to do it, and we did it,” the Ohio Republican said Tuesday morning. “And I’m frankly proud of the fact the prime minister has accepted our invitation, and will be here on March 3 to talk to the members of Congress about the serious threat that Iran poses, and the serious threat of radical Islam.”

Also Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said during a press conference in at the Democrats’ issues retreat in Philadelphia that the invitation to Netanyahu is “inappropriate.” The California Democrat spoke via phone with the Israeli leader Wednesday afternoon.

Pelosi said that the speech would impact the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear faculties, which she characterized “deadly serious for our national security.”

“Such a presentation could send a wrong message about giving diplomacy a chance,” Pelosi said. “I shared that with Mr. Netanyahu.”