Democrats Caught Between Obama, Netanyahu on Speech

abcnews.go.com ^ | 2/27/15 | LAURIE KELLMAN

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Jewish House Democrats personally offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a chance to lower the political temperature after he accepted a Republican invitation to speak to Congress next week on Iran — a less provocative, closed-door session.

Netanyahu turned them down, frustrating members of President Barack Obama's party who are caught between the White House and the Israeli leader.

Democrats face an unenviable choice on Tuesday: Attend the speech and listen to the Israeli leader criticize the president over his effort to negotiate a deal with Iran on its nuclear capability. Or skip it and face complaints that they failed to show solidarity with Netanyahu.

Democrats are largely resigned to the situation although still bitter about being caught in between. They're directing their wrath at House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who invited Netanyahu without consulting with the White House and State Department. And they're publicly disagreeing with the Israeli leader, too.

Rep. Sander Levin, R-Mich., called Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu "a strictly political ploy by the speaker to try to reinforce the Republicans' position on Israel and divide Democrats."

Netanyahu was "mistaken to agree to it," he said. "Speaker Boehner is playing politics with the critical issue of Israel's security. That's beyond pardon as far as I'm concerned."

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