WH chief of staff: Relationship with Israel ‘deep and abiding’

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Sunday called the U.S. relationship with Israel the “most important” one in the world, despite President Obama’s decision to not meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to Washington.

“This is most important relationship we have in world,” McDonough said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

{mosads}”Our relationship with Israel is many faceted, deep and abiding. It’s focused on a shared series of threats, but also, on a shared series of values that one particular instance is not going to inform overwhelming,” he added during another interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” 

The comments come after Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) invited Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress. The address is seen as an intention by Republicans to rebuke Obama’s negotiations with Iran on the country’s nuclear program.  

Netanyahu and Republicans have repeatedly criticized the negotiations. 

McDonough said it doesn’t “make sense” to meet with Netanyahu two weeks before Israel’s election. 

“We don’t get involved in their politics,” he said.