海角大神

"Politics stops at the water's edge," Senator Arthur Vandenberg famously declared when he chaired the Foreign Relations Committee in the late 1940s 鈥� an ideal obviously not always met since those early post-war years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 speech to the US Congress this week comes with a heavy dose of politics across global waters in both directions.

The invitation to Mr. Netanyahu came from House Speaker John Boehner, who did not consult with President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, or anyone else normally directing US diplomacy and foreign relations.

Widely seen as a snub to the Democratic White House, it came at a time when Republicans had recently increased their power in the House and Senate and were fighting administration initiatives on several fronts 鈥� including the international effort to control Iran鈥檚 nuclear capabilities.

The invitation also had the potential for Speaker Boehner to strengthen his leadership position at a time when that position was threatened by a growing insurgency within his own caucus.

White House national security adviser Susan Rice called the prime minister's speech this Tuesday 鈥渄estructive to the fabric of the relationship鈥� between the two countries.

For Netanyahu鈥檚 part, the trip has been seen as a means of bolstering his position as he faces a tough election back home.

鈥淏ibi is facing an existential threat to his career, and Boehner is staging for him the ultimate campaign rally, 6,000 miles away from home,鈥� in the Atlantic, using the Israeli prime minister鈥檚 nickname.

鈥淧eople I鈥檝e spoken with in Israel who have a sophisticated understanding of current campaign dynamics 鈥� the Israeli election is set for March 17 鈥� say that a well-delivered, well-received speech (standing ovations in Congress seem very impressive unless you know better) could gain Netanyahu two or three extra seats in the Knesset, which might be what he needs to retain his job,鈥� Mr. Goldberg writes.聽

Politically, Boehner鈥檚 invitation to Netanyahu had the added benefit of putting congressional Democrats in the difficult position of being players in the Republican effort to tweak the White House while cheering a nation seen to have a uniquely close and politically powerful relationship with the US.

About 30 Democrats say they will sit out the speech.

鈥淢any of the boycotters are members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who considered the invitation to Netanyahu, issued without consulting the White House, to be a breach of protocol that insulted President Barack Obama,鈥� Politico.com reports. 鈥淎nother block of Democrats say they do not want to interfere in the tense and ongoing negotiations the US and other world leaders are engaging in with Iran over its nuclear program.鈥�

One of those boycotting the speech is Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) of Oregon. 鈥淚 will not dignify it by being here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is an unfortunate incursion into Israeli politics.鈥�

"I intend to go, and I鈥檒l listen respectfully," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday on CNN. "I don鈥檛 intend to jump up and down."

As he left Jerusalem for Washington Sunday, Netanyahu described himself as an 鈥渆missary of 鈥� the entire Jewish people,鈥� a statement Sen. Feinstein (who is Jewish) said she finds 鈥渁rrogant.鈥�

"He doesn't speak for me on this," she said.聽

Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal Jewish advocacy group J Street, said Netanyahu was "crossing some lines that haven't been crossed before and is putting Israel into the partisan crossfire in a way it has not been before."

But the largest pro-Israel lobby in the US, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has tried to play down the partisanship.

"AIPAC welcomes the prime minister's speech to Congress and we believe that this is a very important address," spokesman Marshall Wittmann said. "We have been actively encouraging senators and representatives to attend and we have received an overwhelmingly positive response from both sides of the aisle."

Netanyahu is scheduled to speak Monday at AIPAC's annual policy conference, the day before his congressional appearance.聽

As the time for Netanyahu鈥檚 arrival in the US approached, both sides in what has become a prickly relationship appeared to soften the rancor.

In remarks on Saturday at Jerusalem鈥檚 Western Wall, Netanyahu said: 鈥淚 would like to take this opportunity to say that I respect US President Barack Obama.鈥� The strength of the US-Israel relationship 鈥渨ill prevail over differences of opinion, those in the past and those yet to come,鈥� he said.

Speaking on ABC Sunday, Secretary of State Kerry said, "The prime minister of Israel is welcome to speak in the United States, obviously, and we have a closer relationship with Israel right now in terms of security than at any time in history."

鈥淲e don't want to see this turned into some great political football,鈥� he said.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.