Speaker Johnson says he plans to invite Netanyahu to address the US Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson says he plans to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress, a show of support from Republicans amid growing Democratic criticism of Netanyahu’s leadership.

“I would love to have him come in and address a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said Thursday morning on CNBC. “We’ll certainly extend that invitation.”

Johnson said it would be “a great honor of mine” to invite the Israeli leaderbut “we’re just trying to work out schedules on all this.”

Republicans have rallied around Netanyahu since Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called for new elections in Israel on the Senate floor last week. Schumer, who is Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel, said he believes that the prime minister has “lost his way” and is an obstacle to peace in the region amid the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

A U.S. speech by Netanyahu during the brutal war with Hamas could be seen in the U.S. as highly politicized and would be met with criticism from many Democrats, especially as many on the left flank have been sharply critical of his tactics in the war.

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