U.S. Democratic Boycott of Netanyahu Speech to Congress Grows

Edited by Lena Valverde Jordi
2015-02-10 16:04:29

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Washington, February 10 (RHC)-- More Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are planning to boycott a joint session of the bicameral legislature on March 3rd when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak about Iran.

Top Obama administration officials and members of the Democratic Party are angry at Netanyahu over his acceptance of a last month invitation by House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner to address Congress without coordinating with President Barack Obama.

Over a dozen congressional Democrats say they will skip Netanyahu's speech before Congress amid reports that he might withdraw from the planned address, the Washington-based The Hill newspaper reported on Monday.

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, said he would boycott the joint session of Congress, adding that it was "wrong" that Obama's approval was not sought ahead of time, while Representative Luis Gutiérrez, a Democrat from Illinois, denounced the Netanyahu speech as a "stunt."

Although Netanyahu struck a defiant tone on Monday, saying he would go ahead with his address to Congress to "prevent dangerous agreement" with Iran, but the Israeli premier is reportedly under intense pressure to pull out from the event.



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