Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit: Cherie Cullen.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit: Cherie Cullen.

(JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly mulling a change of plans regarding the details of his planned speech before a joint session of Congress next month.

According to reports, Israeli officials are considering whether Netanyahu should instead give a closed-door speech to members of Congress or only give his other scheduled address in Washington, DC, a speech at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference.

“The issue has been under discussion for a week,” said a source close to the prime minister’s office, the Jerusalem Post reported. “[Netanyahu] is discussing it with Likud people. Some say he should give up on the speech, others that he should go through with it.”

Netanyahu was invited by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to address Congress about the Iranian nuclear threat and radical Islam. The Obama administration said it was not consulted about the invitation and has argued that the speech would hurt the West’s chances to forge a deal with Iran over its nuclear program. Vice President Joe Biden will be skipping the speech.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu rival and Labor party head Isaac Herzog is also mulling the possibility of speaking at the AIPAC conference. Herzog told the Jerusalem Post that he will wait to see what Netanyahu decides before determining his plans.

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