Netanyahu fails to ease tensions with Democrats
NYT reports PM called senior Democrats to explain his decision to accept Republican invitation to speak to Congress; White House officials slam Ambassador Dermer, say he worries more about Netanyahu's political interests than Israel-US ties.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's influence with the Republican Party paved the way for his Congress speech two weeks ahead of elections, but angered the Democrats in Congress, including some old friends of Israel.
The New York Times reported that Netanyahu contacted senior Democrats this week in an attempt to minimize the damage caused by the fact his invitation to speak on Capitol Hill was extended without first notifying President Barack Obama and the White House. Netanyahu's attempt, the Times reported, was unsuccessful.
Senior Democratic Senator Harry Reid said Thursday that Netanyahu called him to explain why he accepted the Republican invitation to speak in front of Congress without first cluing in the White House.
According to the Times, Netanyahu had similar phone conversations with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and senior Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer from New York.
Netanyahu went on his telephone blitz while Congress remains divided over whether to impose additional sanctions on Iran while nuclear negotiations between Tehran and world powers are still ongoing.
Senator Reid, an avid supporter of Israel, told the Times he had a "candid" conversation with Netanyahu, in which he told the Israeli prime minister that the planned March 3 speech "has become such a problem" that it led Democratic senators to back off their support to a proposal to impose new sanctions on Iran.
"It’s hurting you. You have to understand this. I’m not telling you what to do or what not to do, but you have to understand the background here from my perspective," Reid said he told Netanyahu.
However, Reid said it wasn't prudent for him to tell the prime minister not to come to Washington. He did, however, say Netanyahu had promised to make his speech "as nonpartisan as possible."
On her Wednesday night conversation with Netanyahu, Pelosi told the Times she stressed to him that the speech "could send the wrong message in terms of giving diplomacy a chance."
Sources in the Democratic Party dubbed Netanyahu's decision to accept the invitation to speak to Congress about the Iranian threat "undiplomatic and reckless."
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed to the Times that Netanyahu had spoken to senior Democrats "and other friends in Congress."
After visiting soldiers wounded in the Wednesday Hezbollah attack on the Lebanese border, Netanyahu addressed the criticism over his planned visit to the US, saying, "This is a procedural problem that can be solved, but if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, it'll be a lot harder to solve."
"We're under a continuous attack organized by Iran, let there be no doubt about it," the prime minister continued. "Iran is trying to uproot us, they won't succeed. We'll plant our roots here and we will continue doing so, we'll continue to make our country bloom, we'll continue creating new life here."
Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, considered Netanyahu's closest adviser and strategic consultant, was sharply criticized by senior officials in Obama's inner circle after he helped orchestrate the Republican invitation to Netanyahu to speak in front of Congress.
A senior administration official told the New York Times that Dermer had "repeatedly placed Netanyahu’s political fortunes above the relationship between Israel and the United States."
Dermer told the Times that he has "no regrets whatsoever that I have acted in a way to advance my country's interests," claiming he understood House Speaker John Boehner will be the one to notify the White House of the extended invitation.
"The prime minister feels very strongly that he has to speak on this issue. That’s why he accepted the invitation, not to wade into your political debate or make this a partisan issue, and not to be disrespectful to the president," Dermer added.
