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Israel Ambassador Defends Netanyahu's 'Duty' To Address Congress

January 26, 2015

Ron Dermer, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, supported Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s decision to accept an invitation to speak before Congress.

"The Prime Minister feels the deepest moral obligation to appear before the Congress to speak about an existential issue facing the one and only Jewish state. This is not just the right of the Prime Minister of Israel. It is his most sacred duty — to do whatever he can to prevent Iran from ever developing nuclear weapons that can be aimed at Israel," said Dermer.

Last week, following the State of the Union address where a defiant President Obama warned Congress not to interfere with his negotiations with Iran, Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) invited Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress. The White House did not appreciate the move and was shocked to hear of it.

The White House has had a very testy relationship with Israel’s leader. Before this most recent incident, a White House official referred to Netanyahu as "Chickens***." This time around, the Obama administration have been careful with its response since many have accused the administration of not standing close enough with Israel. Still, they have called the Prime Minister "disrespectful" for accepting the invitation.

"The Prime Minister’s visit here is not intended to show any disrespect for President Obama," said Dermer. "The Prime Minister’s visit to Washington is intended for one purpose — and one purpose only. To speak up while there is still time to speak up. To speak up when there is still time to make a difference."

Congress is set to vote to increase sanctions on Iran in the next month or two, something President Obama vehemently opposes but Netanyahu has been calling for. The president also faces opposition from some in his own party, most notably Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.).

"If it was important for the Prime Minister to speak out in Paris about anti-Semitism and the threat from militant Islam, it is even more important for him to speak out in Washington, D.C., about the dangers of a nuclear Iran," said Dermer.