NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s secretly planned speech to a joint session of Congress is “not good” for Israel or the U.S.
“He has, I think, and his advisers, have misjudged this because the usual supporters who would be with him … are not with him on this,” Mitchell said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
The speech, planned for March 3, is a point of controversy because Netanyahu accepted the invitation to address Congress from Republican leadership, which did not consult with President Obama or Democrats on the matter. Netanyahu’s talk is expected to be used as an opportunity for him to lobby against White House-led negotiations with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear development program, which Israel views as a serious threat.
Obama has said he will not meet with Netanyahu as to avoid the appearance of meddling in an upcoming election in Israel. Vice President Joe Biden and other Democrats have said they will not attend the speech.
Mitchell, a foreign affairs correspondent, said Netanyahu does believe Iran is an “existential threat” to Israel but that there’s “a lot of politics involved” with the speech. “This is not good for Israel, this is not good for the U.S.,” she said.
“Morning Joe” left-leaning co-host Mika Brzezinski said Netanyahu should cancel the speech.
Joe Scarborough, co-host and a former Republican congressman, said the speech should be rescheduled. “I don’t think a mushroom cloud is going to arise over Tel Aviv in the next two weeks,” he said.
