Netanyahu will address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference two weeks before Israelis head to the polls, and will likely use the opportunity to meet with United States President Donald Trump, who is expected to release his peace plan for the Middle East shortly after the elections.CONFIRMED ✔️: We are honored to announce that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak live at the 2019 AIPAC Policy Conference. Join us in Washington: https://t.co/HmvBzGxib8 #AIPAC2019 pic.twitter.com/FYVGBuhUJU
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) February 24, 2019
In the lead-up to the April 9 vote, Netanyahu helped broker an agreement between the Bayit Yehudi and Otzma Yehudit parties to shore up the right-wing bloc. Otzma Yehudit is an offshoot of a racist political movement that has been designated a terrorist organization abroad and banned from Knesset lists since the 1980s.“We agree with AJC,” AIPAC stated in a Twitter post on Friday, after the American Jewish Committee decried the move. “AIPAC has a long-standing policy not to meet with members of this racist and reprehensible party.”While Otzma has never outwardly promoted violence, the party is an offshoot of the Kahanist movement, founded by the late Rabbi Meir Kahane. Kahanists consider Arabs and other non-Jews in Israel to be enemies of the state, and supports replacing Israel’s democratic government with a theocratic structure.AIPAC also confirmed that former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley will address the forum, which will take place March 24-26.Michael Wilner and Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.Just in case you were worried all was bad between @netanyahu and @AIPAC, announcement came out overnight that PM will be speaking at Policy Conference. Netanyahu won’t miss this opportunity- 2 weeks before elections he will be in DC, speak before 20,000 & meet Trump. pic.twitter.com/XN5quwV9Rv
— Yaakov Katz (@yaakovkatz) February 24, 2019