Kerry Says U.S. Wants to Avoid 'Political Football' over Netanyahu Speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "welcome" to deliver his US speech, Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday, insisting that Washington is eager to avoid a "political football" over the controversial visit.

"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.

"We don't want to see this turned into some great political football," he said, just hours before Netanyahu was due to arrive in Washington.

Netanyahu was on his way to the United States on what he has called a "historic" 48-hour mission to try to stop a nuclear deal with Iran -- including, controversially, his speech Tuesday before a joint session of the US Congress.

The Israeli leader -- who also this week will address the annual AIPAC pro-Israel lobby group -- is making the address to Congress to garner last-minute support to halt a possible world deal with Iran over its nuclear program.

The move however has infuriated the White House because the speech was set up by congressional Republicans without the knowledge of the president.

Kerry suggested however, that the breach of protocol at this point is water under the bridge.

"Obviously, it was odd if not unique that we learned of it from the Speaker of the House (John Boehner) and that the administration was not included in the process, but the administration is not seeking to politicize this," Kerry said.

"We want to recognize the main goal here is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and on that Israel and the United States agree," the top US diplomat said.

He added that the two allies "have an unparalleled close security relationship with Israel and we will continue to."

Netanyahu's trip comes just four weeks before a March 31 target for a Iran nuclear framework deal, with negotiators intending to pin down the technical details of a comprehensive agreement by a June 30 deadline.

It also comes just two weeks before a March 17 general election in Israel in which Netanyahu is hoping to win a third consecutive term in office. 

Israel believes Iran and world powers are likely to reach a deal that eases international sanctions on Tehran without applying sufficiently stringent safeguards to stop it developing nuclear weapons.