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Published January 26, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "Your World," February 5, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Well, I don't think anybody should use the word boycott in this.
(CROSSTALK)
PELOSI: Let me just tell you this.
Do you know when these heads of state come? This is not -- people are here doing their work. They're trying to pass legislation. They're meeting with their constituents and the rest. It is not a high priority item for them.
As of now, it is my intention to go. It is still my hope that -- that the event will not take place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: Well, the former speaker does not fancy the word boycott. But, boy, oh, boy, it sure looks like one is developing here, because when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks before Congress next month at the invitation of Republican Speaker John Boehner, many Democrats are saying that they will not be there.
But this Democrat is seeing red. He's New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
And I want to stress again, he is a Democrat.
Well, why did you -- what did you make, first of all, of what Nancy Pelosi and the linguistic hoops she was going through?
DOV HIKIND, D-NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: First of all, I think it is a tragedy what is going on.
Whatever happened in terms of, who should have told who weeks ago? The point is...
CAVUTO: He is a head of state.
HIKIND: But, I mean, it is the ridiculous.
The point is that Israel's very survival is threatened. And now to -- for anyone to play with that, we are going to attend, we are not going to attend...
CAVUTO: But she made it sound like they might have things to do in their office, files to put in the cabinet or something.
HIKIND: Unfortunately, this is clearly being orchestrated.
This is going on day after day. Neil, this is no way to treat friends. Sometimes, I wonder. I wish Israel was treated sometimes like we treat Iran. We are so careful about what we say and how we behave towards them.
And when it comes to Israel, every single day, there is another source in the White House, unnamed source, that makes comments that are -- that are negative about the prime minister or other people in the Netanyahu administration. Israel's very survival is in jeopardy. And we're playing politics.
(CROSSTALK)
CAVUTO: Well, what do you think happened here? I think -- I think there's a -- the personal chill is out in the open now. These guys, that is Benjamin Netanyahu and the president of the United States, have long been at odds. The administration claims he was all but campaigning for Mitt Romney.
Netanyahu says he was all but stabbing him in the back -- that was the president -- by leaving Israel sort of isolated on the world stage.
Where do you stand on that?
HIKIND: Look, it is very, very clear that President Obama does not Netanyahu, and that...
CAVUTO: Why? Why do you think that is?
HIKIND: You know, I -- I don't know. Maybe because Netanyahu represents a different point of view.
CAVUTO: Yes, but lots of leaders don't get along, and yet we don't carry it to the point this White House is, by getting annoyed that he's going to spiel to the Congress.
(CROSSTALK)
HIKIND: I can't explain why our president -- I love America. I love Israel.
We are concerned about the survival of Israel. That is what this is about. To play politics with this, to do what is going on with Pelosi, imagine if the Labor Party leader was coming to the Congress two weeks before the election. Do you think Pelosi would be talking about not showing up? She would urge everyone to show up.
CAVUTO: By the way, they're all going to show up, they're all going to show up when the pope, who has been asked and has accepted an invite to speak before Congress -- they're all going to show up for that. They're not going to be filing papers for that.
This is a head of state.
HIKIND: We are -- look, the situation is out of control in the Middle East. What is happening is simply out of control.
And there is a lack of leadership coming from the greatest country in the world, America. And without leadership, we endanger, we endanger our friends. And Israel's on the front line.
CAVUTO: Well, how -- is the president endangering and Nancy Pelosi, Democrats' relationship and strong and very close ties to Israel? Could the Jewish sentiment backfire here?
HIKIND: Neil, this should have nothing to do with Democrats, Republicans.
CAVUTO: But it will, though. But it will, right?
HIKIND: Well, it shouldn't.
CAVUTO: Your colleagues and constituents must be annoyed.
HIKIND: Well, I -- very, very angry, very, very upset.
(CROSSTALK)
HIKIND: And I hope, by the time the prime minister comes here, everyone will be there to listen to him.
CAVUTO: OK. All right.
HIKIND: And, by the way, if they are not there, they will be listening in their offices.
CAVUTO: Thank you, Assemblyman.
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