article_snippet: (CNN)In Washington's polarized political environment, support for Israel has been a rare area of bipartisan cooperation -- at least until now.
article_snippet: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on Tuesday threatens to undermine the nearly 67-year tradition of bipartisan support that has endured since President Harry Truman became the first head of state to recognize Israel.
article_snippet: Israel will hold Israel national elections just two weeks after Netanyahu visit to CNN)In Washington's.
article_snippet: A major televised address in CNN)In Washington's concerning Iran's threat, interrupted only by standing ovations from American lawmakers, has the potential to be far more effective than any campaign ad in projecting gravitas, reinforcing his security credentials and reminding voters of his vast experience -- in contrast to his rivals' inexperience -- in foreign affairs.
article_snippet: Speaker John Boehner's late-January invitation to Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress was coordinated with neither the White House nor the State Department.
article_snippet: In defiance of the President Obama administration, and rejecting advice from leading figures in Israel and key supporters of Israel in the United States, Netanyahu accepted Speaker John Boehner's late-January invitation to Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress.
article_snippet: By antagonizing the White House, Speaker John Boehner and Netanyahu have put Democratic members of Congress in a bind, forcing Democratic members of Congress to choose between two unenviable options: either attend the speech out of respect for a close ally, but in so doing flout the president -- Democratic members of Congress party leader -- or demonstrate loyalty to President Obama by snubbing the leader of a major U.S. ally.
article_snippet: Two senior Senate Democrats with sterling pro-Israel credentials, Richard Durbin and Dianne Feinstein, tried to diffuse this latest crisis between Washington and Jerusalem by offering to meet with the Israeli premier behind closed doors but were rebuffed by Netanyahu.
article_snippet: Dianne Feinstein had previously noted that an invitation to address Congress during the Israeli election period was "highly inappropriate.
article_snippet: Democrats on Capitol Hill who were inclined to support additional sanctions on Iran now feel compelled to back Netanyahu.
article_snippet: In a rare move, five former Israeli ambassadors have publicly called on Netanyahu to cancel Netanyahu speech.
highlights_snippet: Netanyahu's speech to Congress poses a problem for Democrats too, Ziv says .