内塔尼亚胡将对美国亲以组织发表演讲

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to speak at a pro-Israeli group's conference Monday in Washington, one day ahead of his address to the U.S. Congress that has caused friction with the White House.

Mr. Netanyahu spoke at the policy meeting for the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) last year, but this time will do so before going in front of Congress under circumstances that Secretary of State John Kerry described as "odd, if not unique."

Republican House Speaker John Boehner invited the Israeli leader to give his Tuesday address, breaking with historical protocol of coordinating with the White House.

Kerry has sought to downplay any rift, and is due to support Israel in an appearance Monday before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, officials said.

"The prime minister of Israel is welcome to speak in the United States obviously, and we have a closer relationship with Israel right now in terms of security than in any time in history," Kerry told ABC television's This Week program on Sunday.