House Dem downplays Netanyahu drama

The drama surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s forthcoming speech before Congress is being blown out of proportion, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

The real debate, he asserted, concerns what is actually being offered in nuclear negotiations between Iran, the United States and other international allies — something in which lawmakers know very little.

{mosads}”Diversionary debate No. 1 is about Netanyahu’s invitation, and that it is a stick in the eye to the president, it wasn’t done properly etc.,” he said in a radio interview with host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on AM 970 in New York.

“All of that is true, and I think it is very bad ultimately for American-Israeli relations the way it was done, but it is not ultimately that important,” he added.

Democrats have complained that the invitation went out without the White House’s approval, breaking diplomatic protocol.

More than 20 lawmakers have vowed to skip the speech on March 3, when the prime minister is expected to criticize the ongoing Iran nuclear negotiations. Nadler has previously said he will be attending.

The congressman said the other diversionary debate is about whether Congress should pass a sanctions bill against Iran while the negotiations are ongoing, which he has opposed.

Nadler is concerned about the substance of the negotiations. Congress has complained for the better part of a year about not being included.

Since the public is in the dark about the substance of the debate, support will unfortunately come down to who can be trusted, he said.

“Nobody knows what’s in the deal,” Nadler said. “I mean we hear various things but the public doesn’t know. And the consequences [are] that if you like and trust President Obama, it’ll be a good deal if he signs it. And if you like the prime minister more, it will be a bad deal.”

–This report was updated at 9:45 a.m.