On Tuesday, March 2nd, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a controversial speech to Congress, sparking debate over America’s potential nuclear arms deal with Iran and the state of Middle Eastern affairs.
In his address, Netanyahu was adamant in his opposition to US-led talks between Iran and the six world powers known as P5+1. The talks, which have only recently been restarted after years of inactivity, were meant to facilitate discussion and provide ways for Iran to escape the crushing sanctions the West has been placing on it, while diverting its current enrichment capabilities for purely civilian uses. The Prime Minister declared that world was at a crossroads, and that the current proposed deal would “pave the way” for Iran and that it would “all but guarantee it” nuclear capabilities. He stated, “We have been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well this is a bad deal. It is a very bad deal. We are better off without it.”
Though the speech focused primarily on an issue that many prominent politicians on both sides of the aisle have traditionally agreed on, critics have lambasted the move, alleging that more partisan motivations may have come into play. Right from the start, Netanyahu’s visit was marked by controversy as Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, had invited the Prime Minister to speak without the prior approval of President Obama, a move that did not go overlooked by the national media. Even then, pundits were widely discrediting the invitation as nothing more than a partisan ploy to drum up political support.
With this in mind, it was no surprise that over 50 Democratic lawmakers decided to boycott the speech, which was marked by frequent, and very passionate, standing ovations by Republicans. This same juxtaposition was seen in the leadership. Though Speaker Boehner figured prominently in the broadcast, seated directly behind Netanyahu as he spoke, President Obama was nowhere to be seen, later reporting that he had been preoccupied with other matters while the Prime Minister was making his address. The president would go on to express disappointment with his polarizing Israeli visitor, remarking in a press conference that, “the Prime Minister didn’t offer any viable alternatives”, and that “the alternative the Prime Minister offers is ‘no deal’, in which case Iran will immediately begin once again pursuing its nuclear program.”
The speech may have also been important for Netanyahu personally as well. Facing an election in two weeks, the repeated standing ovations in Congress have the potential to bolster his support back home, especially since his political rivals do not have the same opportunities to project their images worldwide.
Though the talks between the various countries (the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran) have still to be finalized, negotiators hope to flesh out an outline by the end of March, and a detailed plan by the end of June. With the current turmoil in the Middle East, nothing is truly certain. However, with Netanyahu’s speech and vocal opposition, we can be sure that this issue won’t be going away soon.
Brian Chekal is the Editor-in-Chief of Pulse Magazine.