Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress “soon,” Mike Johnson reported

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will “soon” address a joint session of Congress.

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce something else: that we will soon welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the Capitol for a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said Thursday. during a speech to commemorate Israel’s independence at an event organized by the Israeli embassy.

“This will be a timely and, I believe, very strong show of support for the Israeli government in its time of greatest need,” Johnson added.

Johnson had said he would invite Netanyahu to the House regardless of whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accepted a joint invitation. Thursday, however, was the first time the plans were formally announced, NBC News reported.

Johnson made the announcement in his keynote speech for the Israeli Embassy event, which took place at the National Building Museum. Several other legislators attended the program and the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Pete Aguilar of California, also spoke.

The long-awaited joint session was announced after days of back-and-forth between Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) over whether Netanyahu should be allowed to address a joint session of the Senate. Congress amid harsh criticism of Israel’s strategy in Gaza, in its war with Hamas. .

Johnson said Wednesday he hoped Schumer would approve Netanyahu’s visit. after informing the Senate leader that he needed to sign the joint invitation, or the House would proceed to invite the Israeli leader to the House alone.

Schumer’s office told The Hill earlier this month that the Senate leader “intends to join the invitation, timing is being determined.”

Netanyahu last traveled to Capitol Hill and addressed Congress in 2015. Several Democrats skipped his speech at the time as a way to protest the Israeli leader, who criticized then-President Obama over the Iran nuclear deal.

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