Speaker Johnson says he is considering inviting Netanyahu to address Congress

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday that he is considering inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress.

“It’s one of the things that we have in mind, and we may try to arrange for that,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters, according to The Hill. “I think it’s very important for us to show solidarity and support for Israel right now in their time of great struggle, and we certainly stand for that position and we’ll try to advance that in every way that we can.”

As of now, there are no arrangements for this address to take place.

This suggestion comes just one week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., made comments that Israel should hold elections and referred to Netanyahu as an "obstacle to peace" amid the Israel-Hamas war. 

Schumer said that elections were the "only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel," and his comments were met with backlash from Republicans. 

"What I heard coming from Senator Schumer was contempt [and] disrespect not just of our democracy, but our sovereignty, which is very incompatible in relations between any allies," Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren said on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show.

Johnson called Schumer's remarks "highly inappropriate."