U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders / U.S. Secretary of Defense, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / United States Senate, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has expressed openness to House Speaker Mike Johnson's suggestion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be invited to speak at a joint session of Congress.

Johnson recently announced his consideration of the idea and stated in a CNBC interview, “we’ll certainly extend that invitation” and mentioned efforts to coordinate schedules.

A spokesperson for Schumer highlighted that Johnson had not yet discussed the proposal with Schumer. Nevertheless, Schumer conveyed through a statement his general support for such an event.

“I will always welcome the opportunity for the Prime Minister of Israel to speak to Congress in a bipartisan way,” Schumer said.

Previously, Schumer declined Netanyahu's request to address the Democratic caucus in the Senate, citing the inappropriateness of a partisan meeting format. Conversely, the Republican Senate leadership hosted Netanyahu at a closed luncheon following their acceptance of his proposal.

For Netanyahu to address both houses of Congress, the Senate Majority Leader's approval is necessary alongside an invitation from the House Speaker. Johnson mentioned he would accept Netanyahu addressing only the House if Schumer chose not to cooperate. Johnson also expressed confidence that a significant majority in the Senate would support Netanyahu's address, stating, “But I think a big majority that Senate would want to come and stand in support of Netanyahu and Israel.”

Netanyahu's last joint session address in 2015 faced a boycott from dozens of Democrats due to its organization without President Barack Obama's knowledge, aiming to oppose the Iran nuclear deal.

Schumer, known for his pro-Israel stance, recently criticized Netanyahu on the Senate floor, advocating for early elections to replace him. He argued that Netanyahu prioritized political survival over national well-being and was an obstacle to peace. In response, Johnson criticized Schumer's speech as “outrageous,” defending Israel's democracy and Netanyahu's leadership.