Netanyahu criticized for accepting invitation to speak before US Congress on the Iranian nuclear issue without coordinating first with the Obama administration.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Sunday morning to criticism leveled at him for accepting an invitation to speak before the US Congress, without first coordinating with The White House and only two weeks before the Israeli election in March.
House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner extended the invitation to Netanyahu on Wednesday and the Prime Minister\’s speech on Capitol Hill is expected to focus on the need for increased sanctions against Iran, as well as on Islamist extremism.
"As the prime minister of Israel, it is my duty to make every effort to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons that will be directed at us. This effort is an international one and I will go to every place where I am invited in order to make Israel\’s case and to safeguard its future and existence," Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting.
"In the coming weeks the world powers may reach a framework agreement with Iran that runs the risk of Iran being on the threshold of obtaining nuclear weapons, which would first and foremost endanger the existence of the state of Israel," he said.
The prime minister emphasized Iran\’s role in fomenting conflict in different areas of the Middle East, saying that such a threat should not be allowed to grow even more with the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
"This is the same Iran that has taken over Lebanon and Syria and is doing the same now in Yemen and Iraq. This is the same Iran that is preparing an active front against us on the Golan Heights as well as in southern Lebanon," Netanyahu said.
"This same Iran should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons."