Mar 21, 2024 - 15:15
By cnbc.com

House Speaker Johnson will invite Israel leader Netanyahu to address Congress, slams Schumer

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he plans to invite Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.
The Louisiana Republican bashed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over criticism of Netanyahu for the war in Gaza against Hamas
The New York Democrat Schumer has called for elections in Israel to oust the prime minister.

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday said that he will invite Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.

Johnson, R-La., also bashed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over his recent criticism of Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza against the terror group Hamas.

"We'll certainly extend that invitation" to Netanyahu, Johnson said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

"We're just trying to work out schedules on all this," he added.

Johnson himself has been asked to speak at Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

Schumer last week denounced Netanyahu and called for Israel to hold an election to oust him.

The New York Democrat accused the prime minister of "allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel."

Schumer said that Netanyahu, who long has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump and other right-wing politicians, is "pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows."

Johnson on Thursday called Schumer's comments "almost staggering, just unbelievable."

"To suggest to our strongest ally in the Middle East, the only stable democracy, that he knows better how to run their democracy, is just patently absurd," Johnson said.