Netanyahu will address Congress, says House Speaker Mike Johnson

WASHINGTON – President of the House Mike JohnsonR-La., announced Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress.

It is unclear when the address will occur. Johnson told reporters on Wednesday that he was working with Netanyahu on a date and would send the formal invitation this week.

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce one more thing to you: that we will soon welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the Capitol for a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said in a speech marking Israel’s independence, organized by the Israeli Embassy.

“This will be a timely and, I believe, very strong demonstration of support for the Israeli government in its time of greatest need,” he added.

Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for details about the timing. The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the invitation.

Johnson said he would invite Netanyahu to the House regardless of whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agrees to a joint invitation. Thursday, however, was the first time the plans were formally announced.

Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday night.

Johnson made the announcement in his opening speech at the Israeli Embassy event, which took place at the National Building Museum. Several other lawmakers participated in the program, and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California also spoke.

Johnson said Tuesday he gave Schumer a deadline to sign a joint letter inviting Netanyahu to a joint session of Congress.

“My office told Senator Schumer’s office yesterday that he needed to sign the joint letter, and if not, we would go ahead and invite Netanyahu to the House only, and I will send individual invitations to the senators,” Johnson said Tuesday.

In March, Schumer refused Netanyahu’s request to address Senate Democrats. In early March, Schumer gave an impassioned speech attacking Netanyahusaying he “got lost” and calling for new elections in Israel.

President Joe Biden later praised Schumer’s speechsaying “expressed a serious concern shared not only by him but by many Americans.”

In recent months, Biden has increasingly intensified his criticism of Israel’s handling of the war. The White House called the situation humanitarian in Gaza “unacceptable”. Biden has also said that what Netanyahu is “doing is a mistake”, referring to his handling of the war.

This article was originally published in NBCNews. with