Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday March 3, to discuss Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Due to the fact that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) did not go through the proper channels when coordinating this speech, there are many Democratic leaders in Congress that will not be in attendance.

If Boehner wanted Netanyahu to address Congress, he should have cleared the invitation through the White House and State Department first. In this instance he sent the invitation and got clearance after the fact.

It is a sign of blatant disrespect to one of our strongest allies, Israel, by not attending Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address. The fact that there are members of Congress who are vocalizing their opposition to this speech and projecting their absence is an ultimate form of discourtesy. These members should be ashamed of themselves.

Many members of the Congressional Black Caucus have opted out of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech, according to Breitbart News. Some of the members include: Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), ?and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-District of Columbia). Many caucus members believe that Boehner used this speech as a way to disrespect President Barack Obama.

Congressional members are justifying their absences by claiming that this address is a PR stunt for Netanyahu’s re-election campaign. Some are in agreement with the Congressional Black Caucus, that this is another jab at the Obama administration. However, this shouldn’t matter. When one of our allies — our strongest one, at that — comes to speak about such important issues, our leaders should practice what they preach in terms of diplomacy, and be there for them.
According to an article in Newsweek, 55 percent of Israelis believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu should not have accepted the invitation to speak before this joint session of Congress. Additionally, Israelis do not like when their leaders quarrel with the United States. Some have speculated that Netanyahu is making this address for his public image, but if that was the case the prime minister would not go against the majority opinion to make the speech.

We look to our leaders in both houses of Congress to protect our rights, to represent their districts with pride and be these diplomatic super-beings. The fact that some members are throwing tantrums over this issue is absurd and immature. They take the dignity of being a member of Congress out of the title.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should attend Prime Minister Netanyahu’s congressional address. Although Boehner did not follow proper protocol in getting the prime minister to speak to Congress, members should still attend. The issue at hand, Iran’s nuclear capabilities, is one that not only affects the future of the state of Israel, but also that of the United States.

Vanessa Salman is a sophomore policy studies major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at vksalman@syr.edu and on Twitter at @VanessaSalman.

Published on February 18, 2015 at 12:14 am