Murphy still on the fence about Netanyahu speech before Congress.
Sen. Chris Murphy has not made up his mind about whether to attend the controversial speech next by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before a joint session of Congress. “I’m very upset with the way the speech has played out,” Murphy said in an interview. “It unnecessarily politicizes the relationship between the U.S. and Israel. But it is still just a protocol breach, not a policy breach.’’
The speech, scheduled for March 3, has become a brouhaha because Netanyahu accepted an invitation from House Speaker John Boehner without first clearing it through the White House and State Department. Last week, President Obama said that by custom the U.S. does not invite foreign leaders to Washington when they are facing election battles in their own countries. The Netanyahu speech is scheduled for March 3 and Israeli elections take place March 17.
Some Senate Democrats have said they will boycott the speech and Vice President Joe Biden, the ceremonial president of the Senate, has said he has a scheduling conflict. Democrat view the speech as an end run around Obama at a time when the U.S. and Israel are at odds over negotiating with Iran to place limits on its nuclear program. Netanyahu plans to use the speech to argue Iran can’t be trusted, and that any such agreement could open the door for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Most (if not all) Republicans and some Democrats think the Obama administration should impose stiffer sanctions on Iran.
For Murphy, the back-and-forth translates into wait-and-see. “I want to make sure we don’t make this more than what it really is,’’ he said.
There are serious policy differences that divide Netanyahu and Obama, Murphy said. “But this really is just a breach of political protocol rules.’’
Bottom line: “I’m going to make up my mind as we get closer to the speech.’’