Tension escalates between the White House and Netanyahu

Tension between the White House and Benjamin Netanyahu escalated Wednesday as top administration officials condemned the Israeli prime minister's plan to address Congress next week and Netanyahu accused six world powers, including the US, of "giving up on their commitment" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The unusually public spat marked one of the lowest points in a relationship that has long bonded the two countries, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

Although the new round of recriminations reflected the frosty personal relations between President Obama and Netanyahu, it came at a critical juncture in multilateral talks designed to prevent Iran from using a civilian programme to develop a nuclear weapon.

The prime minister has said the unfolding deal -- to which Iran has not yet agreed -- could pose an existential threat to the Jewish state.

Obama, however, considers the deal a potential legacy that could ease nuclear tensions, lift trade restrictions on Iran and alter the region's strategic calculus.

On Wednesday, Senator Timothy M. Kaine from Virgina became the fourth senator to say he would skip Netanyahu's speech, calling its timing "highly inappropriate".

Several members of the House also have said they would boycott the speech.

At a Likud political convention in the Maale Adumim settlement just east of Jerusalem, Netanyahu fired back.

"I respect the White House and the president of the US, but on such a critical topic that could determine whether we exist or not, it is my duty to do everything to prevent this great danger to the state of Israel," he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry defended the administration's negotiations in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and took a swipe at Netanyahu.

"I'll tell you, Israel is safer today with the added time we have given and the stoppage of the advances of the Iranian nuclear program than before," Kerry said.

Referring to the accord that eased sanctions slightly while negotiations took place, he said: "We got that agreement, which, by the way, the prime minister opposed. He was wrong, and today he's saying we should be extending that interim agreement."

Now their personal tensions have put Democratic lawmakers in awkward positions that threaten bipartisanship when it comes to Israel.

Democrats have been wrestling over whether to boycott the speech, as senior Obama administration officials plan to do.

This will be the third time Netanyahu would address the full Congress, tying Winston Churchill's record.

Because Netanyahu did not arrange his visit through the White House, Obama has said that he would not meet with him, and Vice President Joe Biden has made plans to travel abroad.

According to an unofficial estimate by one Senate Democrat, about 30 members of that caucus are expected to attend the speech and nearly 15 others are still deciding whether to boycott.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which said it did not know about Netanyahu's plans ahead of time, said lawmakers should put aside the protocol issues and listen to the prime minister's message on the Iran talks.

Meanwhile, leaked details about Iran nuclear negotiations have made many lawmakers more interested in what Netanyahu has to say.

On Monday, many would hear Netanyahu, when he addresses the annual AIPAC convention. AIPAC expects 16,000 people to attend, including about 50 lawmakers.