Netanyahu invited to give Mideast peace speech before U.S. Congress

[Jefferson23]

Premier reportedly procured the invitation to speak before Congress due to the support of Republican officials; speech seen as response to Obama's planned Mideast policy speech.

By Barak Ravid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give a Mideast peace policy speech in front of U.S. Congress in late May, Haaretz learned on Thursday, in an attempt to counter a speech expected to deal with U.S. Mideast policy by President Barack Obama.

The office of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner confirmed the report, saying Boehner's will invite Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress during a visit to Washington next month.

U.S.-led peace talks, launched six months ago with the goal of striking a final deal by September 2011, broke down shortly after they began over Israeli construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians demanded a freeze in both areas, which the Palestinians claim for a state, along with the Gaza Strip.

Israel refused to yield to that demand, insisting that previous rounds of talks took place while settlement construction was under way, such a precondition was unprecedented, and the issue should be settled in negotiations.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-invited-to-give-mideast-peace-speech-before-u-s-congress-1.355981