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 John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House of
Representatives, issued the invitation without consulting the White
House, a breach of protocol since it is normally up to a head of
state to invite a foreign leader.
It also does not appear that Netanyahu, a right-winger who has a
testy relationship with Barack Obama, let the president know about
the invitation before accepting it, underscoring their increasingly
tense ties.
The upshot is that Netanyahu will address a joint session of
Congress on March 3 - the third time he has had the honor - but will
not meet Obama. He will also attend the policy conference of AIPAC,
the influential pro-Israel lobby, a must for any Israeli leader.
From Netanyahu's point of view, he achieves several goals, strutting
his stuff in front of an applauding Republican-led Congress two
weeks before Israelis vote on March 17.
 While that may not swing undecided voters, it is the sort of
primetime appearance that can shore up the base and help Netanyahu,
currently neck-and-neck with his center-left rivals in most polls,
pip the opposition on the day.
It also allows the prime minister, a staunch advocate of a tougher
line against Iran, to beat that drum before a receptive audience and
parade his credentials as a global security hawk, a message that
plays well domestically.
Add the opportunity to sweeten his already close ties with the
Republican leadership before next year's U.S. presidential election,
and the bonus of an AIPAC gathering, and it looks like a very
worthwhile trip.
Even the fact he will not meet Obama could play in his favor. While
it is a snub, past meetings between the two have been frosty and
made Netanyahu look awkward or defensive. With less than two years
of Obama's presidency remaining, Netanyahu is hardly banking on
rapprochement.
As his close confidant Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said last
month: "This (U.S.) administration won't be around forever",
suggesting Israel's leader is already looking to the next, possibly
Republican, president for warmer ties.
[to top of second column] |
"UNPRECEDENTED RIFT"
Yet while there may be good reasons for Netanyahu to go to
Washington almost in spite of Obama - Israel's Haaretz newspaper
quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the Israeli leader had
"spat" in the president's face - there are risks too.
Obama's presidency may be waning, but two years is still a long time
and he has shown a willingness to take bold decisions when the
moment strikes, such as on Cuba and immigration.
The U.S. administration has repeatedly expressed frustration with
the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Further steps in that direction could draw stronger U.S. responses,
possibly in coordination with Europe.
More worrying, say Israeli commentators, is the way Netanyahu has
buddied up to Republicans, creating a party political allegiance
rather than one between two states.
"These relations are the greatest strategic asset that Israel has
had since its establishment," former diplomat Alon Pinkas wrote in
Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel's leading daily.
"Netanyahu has harmed, weakened and finally destroyed the
interpersonal channel (with the US president) and created an
unprecedented rift in the relations between president and prime
minister."
(Writing by Luke Baker; Editing by Dominic Evans)
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