Valley's Congressional delegation have mixed reaction to Netanyahu speech

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson and Tim Ryan as well as U.S. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown attended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint meeting of Congress in Washington.

Johnson, of Marietta, R-6th, said: “Israel and the United States have a long, proud history and commitment to one another, and we must remain dedicated to the common purpose of ensuring that Iran never succeeds in arming itself with a nuclear weapon.”

The speech was a source of controversy with the White House criticizing Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio for inviting Netanyahu without consulting President Barack Obama.

Also, Tuesday’s speech came exactly two weeks

before Israel’s election, causing some to complain about the timing. And Obama has said the best way to deal with Iran’s

efforts to obtain nuclear weapons is through diplomacy. Those efforts were a key topic of Netanyahu’s speech.

“I’m disappointed in President Obama for not agreeing to meet with the prime minister during his trip to the United States,” Johnson said.

Some Democrats refused to attend the speech, but Ryan, of Howland, D-13th, and Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland, attended.

Ryan’s office declined to comment on Tuesday’s speech.

Ryan and Brown had previously said they were disappointed Boehner invited Netanyahu without first talking to the White House.

Portman, a Republican from the Cincinnati area, said: “There should be no mixed messages regarding our strong strategic partnership."

Bonnie Deutsch Burdman, director of Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference Sunday through Tuesday in Washington. She said some 16,000 people from North America, Europe and Israel participated.

Burdman heard Netanyahu speak at the AIPAC conference Monday, and when he addressed Congress.

“He made cohesive and informed remarks concerning the danger of Iran becoming a nuclear power,” Burdman said.

Read more of their remarks in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.