Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, says that if President Joe Biden would not invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House, he would invite him to Congress.
Speaker McCarthy made his remarks in an extensive interview which will be published in Monday's Israel Hayom newspaper.
McCarthy says he does not know the timing, but if it happens, he will invite Netanyahu to meet at the House. He adds that the Prime Minister is a dear friend, and as the leader of a nation with very good ties with the US, he believes the visit must happen soon.
The Speaker added that he, too, has yet to meet the President since he entered the role 80 days ago, joking that he guesses that he's in good company.
McCarthy said he believes Biden's invitation is overdue and that he must invite Netanyahu soon, adding that if the President doesn't invite the Prime Minister, he will.
McCarthy arrived in Israel on Sunday afternoon and will address the Knesset plenum on Monday. This will be the second time in history that the Speaker of the House will address the Knesset and the first time it has happened in 25 years since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed the plenum in May 1998.