Obama Has to Learn Israel Is Not a Banana Republic – Publicist

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has every right to speak before a joint meeting of US Congress, no matter what the Obama administration thinks, Israeli publicist and political analyst Avigdor Eskin told Radio Sputnik, saying that Obama will have to understand that Israel is not a "banana republic".

The speech is scheduled to take place on March 3. The Israeli prime minister is expected to talk about the Iranian nuclear program amid international efforts to reach a comprehensive deal before the July deadline. Israel has repeatedly warned that any agreement with Iran will only bring the country closer to acquiring nuclear weapons.

The Obama administration adopted a tough stance on Netanyahu's visit. Obama refused to meet with the Israeli prime minister, saying it would be inappropriate so close to the contested parliamentary elections in Israel, slated for March 17. Vice President Joe Biden and State Secretary John Kerry are also expected to miss the speech.

Netanyahu's visit will complicate the bilateral relations, according to the White House. Earlier this week, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice said the visit "injected a degree of partisanship," which is destructive for US-Israeli relations.

Eskin begged to differ. "You don't behave like this with your partners. America is an open society. Let people talk, exchange ideas and find best solutions," the publicist said. Obama "will now have to learn the lesson that Israel is not a banana republic. Israel today, if not as strong as Russia and the US, is one of the world superpowers in terms of weapons, high technology and human spirit," he added.

Netanyahu was asked to speak before Congress by House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, who broke protocol by not consulting the White House, the US State Department or Democrats before inviting him. On Thursday, he defended the decision by saying that "the American people and both parties in Congress have always stood with Israel and nothing, and no one, could get in the way."