Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “welcome to speak in the United States,” despite controversy over a speech he is scheduled to deliver to Congress on Tuesday.
Asked on ABC’s “This Week” to respond to National Security Adviser Susan Rice’s recent comment that the speech is “destructive” to U.S.-Israeli relations, Kerry demurred.
“Look, we’re not — the prime minister of Israel is welcome to speak in the United States,” he said. “Obviously, and we have a closer relationship with Israel right now in terms of security than at any time in history.”
Kerry added, “Obviously it was odd, if not unique, that we learned of it [the speech] from the speaker of the House and that the administration was not included in this process. The administration is not seeking to politicize this. We recognize the main goal here is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.”
Kerry also said Israel is “safer today” because of U.S. negotiations with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear development program.
“As I said, the prime minister is welcome in the United States at any time,” Kerry said.
The controversy over Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to Congress stems from a clandestine invite he accepted from House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and several Democrats have said they will not attend the speech or meet with Netanyahu during his visit.
The White House has said the speech may serve to thwart current negotiations with Iran over the country’s nuclear development program. Netanyahu’s speech is expected to be mostly critical of the negotiations.
