As Netanyahu Congressional Address Controversy Lingers on, Ambassador Censured

While Israelis continue to debate the appropriateness of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s upcoming address to the US Congress, his closest political ally and the man seen as being largely responsible for the controversy on the Israeli side has been reprimanded by Israel’s Civil Service Commission for violating a ban on electioneering. Ambassador Ron Dermer had a disciplinary note placed in his personnel file for his comments during an interview in the US in which he said, “I have no doubt that when [Israelis] look at all the people that stand for the leadership of the country, that they will have confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu.” Meanwhile, Netanyahu defended his acceptance of House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to address Congress in March by telling his cabinet on Sunday that, “I will go wherever I am invited to voice Israel's stance on the Iranian issue.” As the controversy lingers on and Israelis debate whether the speech is a good thing or is needlessly provocative toward President Obama, Dermer said the speech is part of Netanyahu’s “sacred duty” to address Congress while his predecessor Michael Oren called on the prime minister to cancel the speech, saying that, “It's advisable to cancel the speech to Congress so as not to cause a rift with the American government. Much responsibility and reasoned political behavior are needed to guard interests in the White House.”