Rep. Rosa DeLauro boycotted the speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro was among the four dozen or so House and Senate Democrats to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
In a statement, DeLauro said she was loath not to attend because of her “special bond” with Connecticut’s Jewish community and strong past support of Israel. But the politics of the Netanyahu visit _ accepting an invitation from House Speaker John Boehner without consulting the White House _ “is disrespectful of the president of the United States and, worst of all, leaves America’s relations with Israel stuck in the same polarized, partisan mud that keeps us from doing the right thing in so many areas,” DeLauro said. “That is deeply harmful to Israel.”
Secretary of State John Kerry is in Switzerland attempting to negotiate and agreement with Iran to control its ambition to develop a nuclear weapon. In his speech, Netanyahu told Congress the negotiations would “all but guarantee” Iran’s ability to produce such a weapon. “Iran has proven time and again that it cannot be trusted,” he said.
President Obama has said that normal protocol prevents the U.S. from officially inviting a foreign head of state to Washington when such is within weeks of an election. Israel’s election in March 17.
“I felt it is wrong to attend the address that is part of Speaker Boehner’s partisan game plan and part of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s campaign plan in Israel,” said DeLauro, a strident liberal Democratic voice in a House dominated by Republican conservatives. Nevertheless, she added, “the United States and Israel have a bond that has been forged by our shared values as democracies and our common interests. I will continue to work to actively foster bipartisan support for Israel.”