The Netanyahu speech controversy, explained

On January 8, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reached out to Ron Dermer, Israel's Ambassador to the US (and a former Republican operative), to discuss having Netanyahu speak in Congress. The Israelis and Republicans worked out the details of the event without notifying the White House, to "make sure," in Boehner's words, "that there was no interference" from the administration.

That process went on for two weeks. The afternoon of January 20, Boehner's office "informed Ambassador Dermer of our intent to issue the invitation." Dermer "accepted and acknowledged [their] intent to do so." Sometime between then and the morning of January 21, the Speaker's office told the Obama administration of the plan. That morning, Boehner issued a formal invitation to Netanyahu. The Prime Minister accepted, and here we are.

The details of the timing are important. Dermer knew about the invitation before Obama did, and, according to Boehner's office, accepted that the invitation was coming. But Netanyahu did not formally accept until after the White House had been informed.

Still, this was a major breach, both of diplomatic protocol for a foreign government to work directly with a US opposition party, and of political protocol for Congressional Republicans to freelance their own foreign policy independent of the White House. Democrats were outraged at Boehner and Dermer for undermining both the president and his foreign policy. A number of them will be skipping the speech, including Vice President Joe Biden.

Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital and Orders U.S. Embassy to Move

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City.

“Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” Mr. Trump said from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”

The president cast his decision as a break with decades of failed policy on Jerusalem, which the United States, along with virtually every other nation in the world, has declined to recognize as the capital since Israel’s founding in 1948. That policy, he said, brought us “no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Trump blasts Netanyahu for disloyalty: "F**k him"

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu were the closest of political allies during the four years they overlapped in office, at least in public. Not anymore. "I haven’t spoken to him since," Trump said of the former Israeli prime minister. "F**k him."

What he's saying: Trump repeatedly criticized Netanyahu during two interviews for my book, “Trump’s Peace: The Abraham Accords and the Reshaping of the Middle East." The final straw for Trump was when Netanyahu congratulated President-elect Biden for his election victory while Trump was still disputing the result.

What’s behind Trump’s lashing out at Netanyahu after Hamas’ attack on Israel

Perhaps most bruising for Trump is the reminder of how Netanyahu left him reeling after the 2020 election by acknowledging his loss, fraying a once-vaunted relationship that stretched back decades and includes close family ties.

After he pledged his unwavering support for Israel in remarks at his club in Palm Beach, Florida, this week, Trump accused Netanyahu of failing to stand with the U.S. as it prepared to strike a top Iranian general.

“Israel was going to do this with us, and it was being planned and working on it for months,” Trump said in remarks at his Mar-a-Lago club Wednesday. “We had everything all set to go, and the night before it happened, I got a call that Israel will not be participating in this attack.

“I’ll never forget that Bibi Netanyahu let us down. That was a very terrible thing,” Trump said. “And then Bibi tried to take credit for it. That didn’t make me feel too good.”