A few Senate democrats worried about re-election asked for a private meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has declined to offer them that fig leaf. Durbin and Feinstein will now have to decide to boycott the speech or break with Obama and attend. Popcorn anyone?
WASHINGTON
— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined an invitation by
Senate Democrats to meet during his visit to Washington next week,
citing fears it might “compound the misperception of partisanship”
surrounding the trip.
“I regret that the invitation to address the special join session of
Congress has been perceived by some to be political or partisan,” reads
the letter, obtained by The Jerusalem Post. “I can assure you that my
sole intention in accepting it was to voice Israel’s grave concerns
about a potential nuclear agreement nuclear agreement with Iran that
could threaten the survival of my country.”
The letter was addressed to Senators Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and
Dianne Feinstein (D-California), who invited the prime minister to
discuss his concerns in detail to Democrats in a closed-door
environment, in addition to the address.
Netanyahu said he considers the speech an opportunity to address the
representatives of the American people, and not one particularly
political party.
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