President Barack Obama's national security adviser Susan Rice[/caption]WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's national security adviser is calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to address Congress next week "destructive" to U.S.-Israel relations.
Susan Rice told PBS Tuesday that Netanyahu's decision to accept House Speaker John Boehner's invitation has injected partisanship into bilateral relations. She called that "destructive of the fabric of the relationship."
Rice said the relationship has always been bipartisan, and needs to stay that way.
Netanyahu is scheduled to give a speech to a joint session of Congress next week on Iran.
In inviting Netanyahu, Republican leaders didn't consult beforehand with the Obama administration, which the White House has called a breach of protocol.
Netanyahu Tuesday turned down an invitation to meet privately with Senate Democrats, saying it "could compound the misperception of partisanship" surrounding his trip.
By The Associated Press
