Image by getty images

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress nearly brought her to tears because it insulted the intelligence of the United States.

In a statement issued soon after Netanyahu’s March 3 speech, Pelosi (D-Calif.) emphasized the “unbreakable bonds” between the United States and Israel but continued, “That is why, as one who values the U.S.-Israel relationship, and loves Israel, I was near tears throughout the Prime Minister’s speech — saddened by the insult to the intelligence of the United States as part of the P5+1 nations, and saddened by the condescension toward our knowledge of the threat posed by Iran and our broader commitment to preventing nuclear proliferation.”

The P5+1 is the acronym for the six major powers negotiating with Iran: the United States, Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

After Netanyahu spoke, an Obama administration official told CNN that Netanyahu offered nothing new.

“Literally not one new idea, not one single concrete alternative; all rhetoric, no action,” the network quoted an anonymous senior administration official as saying.

President Barack Obama himself has said that the fallout from the speech will not cause permanent damage. Obama told Reuters on Monday that he would meet Netanyahu again soon after Israel’s March 17 elections if Netanyahu is reelected.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount