White House: Boehner invite to Netanyahu is breach of diplomatic protocol

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — The White House says House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation for Israel’s prime minister to come to Washington is a breach of normal diplomatic protocol.

President Barack Obama’s press secretary, Josh Earnest, says the White House has not heard from Israelis about whether Benjamin Netanyahu plans to speak to Congress Feb. 11. Earnest says they are reserving judgment about the invitation until they’ve had a chance to speak to the Israelis about what Netanyahu might say.

Earnest says typical protocol is that a country’s leader would contact the White House before planning to visit the United States. But Earnest says they didn’t hear about Boehner’s invitation until Wednesday morning, shortly before the speaker announced it publicly.

Earnest was speaking to reporters traveling aboard Air Force One to Idaho on Wednesday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS