Rep. Tammy Duckworth | The Office of Rep. Tammy Duckworth
Rep. Tammy Duckworth | The Office of Rep. Tammy Duckworth
Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said Israel continues to remain one of America's closest and strongest allies in the Middle East.
“Our two nations share an unbreakable bond and friendship built on our common values and mutual economic and security interests," she said. "I have repeatedly supported efforts to strengthen our relationship and ensure Israel’s safety by voting to fully fund Israel’s missile defense system, Iron Dome and supporting legislation to further strengthen sanctions against Iran."
During the speech, Netanyahu blasted the U.S. and its allies for pursuing a "very bad" deal with Iran over its nuclear program.
Netanyahu's visit has been marred in controversy since the initial announcement of the pending speech. The White House called out House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and the Israeli Embassy for breaking protocol on the handling of the invitation to Netanyahu given the pending election in Israel.
Tony Davis, chairman of the Illinois Leadership Council of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, was Duckworth’s guest for the speech.
“While I am very disappointed in the way the invitation was handled, I attended today’s speech and was proud to have Tony Davis as my guest," Duckworth said. "The U.S.-Israel relationship is too important to place in the middle of a politically motivated disagreement."
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