Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
As Republicans and President Obama head for a collision over whether to slap more sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program, House Speaker John Boehner has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress next month. Boehner simultaneously pushed back on Obama’s plea for Congress to delay more sanctions against Iran. The invitation for Netanyahu, which came just a day after the president’s State of the Union address, would have the speech take place on Feb. 11. In private, Boehner told the Republican caucus that his response to Obama’s plea was, “Hell, no.” However, on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest declared the move a serious breach of protocol, which is that a country’s leader would contact the White House before planning to visit the United States. He also said the White House is reserving judgment until they’ve had a chance to speak to the Israelis about what Netanyahu will say.