‘He’s created a humanitarian catastrophe’: Democrats react to Netanyahu being invited to Congress

House Speaker Mike Johnson told The Independent on Wednesday afternoon that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give a joint address to Congress.

“I spoke with him today and he’s going to sign the letter jointly and it’ll get out to the prime minister this week,” Johnson told me.

The announcement comes after almost the entire congressional leadership and President Joe Biden condemned Karim Khan, the top prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, for his announcement that he is seeking arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior Hamas officials.

As Inside Washington explained on Tuesday, Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the announcement “a step in the wrong direction”. Ranking Republican Jim Risch and Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed.

Schumer is the highest-ranking Jewish American in Congress, and his agreement to a joint address comes despite the fact that he has also called for new elections in Israel and criticized Netanyahu’s execution of Israel’s war in Gaza.

But the response among other Democrats was very mixed.

Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who faces a tough re-election, gave a non-answer.

“I've heard the same things but I need confirmation,” she told The Independent before Johnson made his announcement.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, one of only four senators who supports a ceasefire, also deferred when asked before Johnson’s announcement.

“I want to talk to Schumer before I say anything,” the Illinois Democrat said.

Conversely, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, the most pro-Israel Democrat, said he would welcome a visit from Netanyahu,