49 Democrats to miss Netanyahu speech, but Kathy Castor won't be one of them

Forty-two Democratic U.S. House members and seven senators intend to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, but Kathy Castor won’t be among them.

A list of those Democratic representatives who won’t be attending the speech include some of their most progressive members, a list that at times the Hillsborough County-based legislator would be right at home with. But not this time.

“I have so much respect for my neighbors and the state of Israel, I’m willing to overlook the political machinations of Speaker Boehner and President Netanyahu, ” Castor said, though Netanyahu is actually Israel’s Prime Minister (their president is a little-known name to Americans: Reuven Rivlin). “Unfortunately, President Netanyahu let politics get ahead of the best interests of the state of Israel, it’s caused some damage.”

Netanyahu is running for re-election in Israel in two weeks, the reason given why President Barack Obama is not meeting with him during his visit to Washington, D.C., to advocate for a strong U.S. stance toward Iran regarding its nuclear program. House Speaker John Boehner invited the Israeli leader to lay out his concerns in an address to Congress but did not notify Obama of the invitation, angering Democrats.

“I don’t want it to be overstated,” Castor said.”The United States and Israel remain the closest of allies, and I don’t see much on the horizon that could damage that, even someone’s political ego.”

In a speech to the American American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday morning, Netanyahu stressed that his address on Tuesday is not “intended to show any disrespect to President Obama or to the esteemed office that he holds,” saying he has “great respect for both.”

Samantha Power, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, drew a standing ovation at AIPAC today when she said,”The United States of America will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, period.”

The only Democratic lawmaker from Florida who intends to boycott the speech is Rep. Corrine Brown.