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President of the United States Barack Obama. Photo: Reuters

Washington: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled address to a joint session of Congress on March 3 is starting to look like a watershed moment for Democrats who find themselves facing a choice: side with Netanyahu, or follow the lead of President Barack Obama.

It's an open question whether Democrats will honour a decades-long tradition of bipartisan support for Israel and its leaders, or go with the White House, which has criticised the address as a breach of protocol and a threat to ongoing nuclear talks with Iran. Mr Obama has said he has no plans to meet Mr Netanyahu during the Washington visit, and Vice-President Joe Biden announced he would be out of the country during the address - though exactly where he'll be travelling remains unknown.

Dozens of Democrats could follow Mr Biden's lead, with Democrats still steaming over Speaker John Boehner's January invitation to the Israeli leader.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: AP

The White House and other congressional Democrats, most notably Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, have complained the invitation was made without consulting the president. And Democrats have derided the Boehner invite as an overtly political move - one that has driven a wedge between Republicans and Democrats on the staunchly bipartisan issue of supporting Israel.

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The Israel lobby is detecting the damage this address is already causing and trying to control it. On Tuesday, J Street, an Israeli advocacy group based in Washington, sent a letter to every member of Congress asking them to pressure Mr Boehner into delaying the Netanyahu speech until after the March 17 elections.

Most Democrats are expected to attend. And the White House hasn't been calling for a boycott. Even Ms Pelosi told reporters last week that, "as of now," she plans to be there.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer suggested the decision to attend or skip was up to individual members.

Excerpt from:
Democrats face choice between Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu