Two Senate Democrats Invite Netanyahu to Closed Door Meeting

Uriel Sinai/Getty images(WASHINGTON) — Many Senate Democrats have said they will boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress next month, but two Democratic senators have extended an invitation for the prime minister to privately address Senate Democrats in March.

On Monday night, Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a letter to Netanyahu inviting him to a closed door meeting with Democrats when he is in the U.S. next month. An aide to Durbin says they have not received a response from Netanyahu yet.

“[T]o maintain Israel’s dialogue with both political parties in Congress, we invite you to a closed-door meeting with Democratic Senators during your upcoming visit to Washington,” the senators wrote. “We believe such a venue would be a wholly appropriate opportunity to discuss the range of issues that face our two countries.”

Durbin and Feinstein expressed their concern with how Netanyahu’s address to a Joint Session of Congress came about, saying it “threatens to undermine the important bipartisan approach toward Israel” and was a way for Republicans to score “short-term partisan points.”

“The invitation you received from House Speaker Boehner to address a Joint Session of Congress was sent without consultation with the White House or the Democratic leadership in the House or Senate,” the senators wrote. “This unprecedented move threatens to undermine the important bipartisan approach toward Israel — which as long-standing supporters of Israel troubles us deeply.”

“It sacrifices deep and well-established cooperation on Israel for short-term partisan points — something that should never be done with Israeli security and which we fear could have lasting repercussions,” they added.

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