Israeli Ambassador defends decision not to tell the White House about Netanyahu invitation

Boehner’s office said he made it clear to Israeli Amb. Ron Dermer that “it was his (Boehner’s) prerogative to inform the White House,” and Dermer has said multiple times that is what he was led to believe.

“It was the speaker’s responsibility and normal protocol for the Speaker’s office to notify the administration of the invitation,” Dermer told The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg on Friday.

The White House was first notified of this invitation on the morning of Jan. 21, by Boehner, almost two weeks after he first asked Dermer if Netanyahu might be interested. In response to this initial request, Boehner was informed that the Prime Minister was open in principle to an invitation.

“It’s unclear to me exactly what their motive is, but what is clear is that this, in our view would only undermine the ability to build support internationally and to ultimately secure the kind of peace agreement with a two state outcome that we believe is clearly in the interest of Israel’s national security.”

A spokesman for the Speaker told CNN’s Jim Acosta that Boehner’s office has no indication that the PM will postpone his upcoming speech to Congress. It’s “locked in” per the spokesman, who says Netanyahu seems very committed.

CNN