Speaker John Boehner schedules visit to Israel

WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- Two months after raising eyebrows for inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress, House Speaker John Boehner announced Friday he's now traveling to Israel to visit the premier.

Boehner will lead a group of congressional Republicans to visit the country March 31 during a two-week congressional break.

"He looks forward to visiting the country, discussing our shared priorities for peace and security in the region, and further strengthening the bond between the United States and Israel," Boehner's spokesman, Kevin Smith, said in an email.

The trip was planned before Netanyahu won his fourth term, but Israeli newspaper Haaretz described it as a "victory celebration" for the prime minister.

Boehner drew the ire of U.S. President Barack Obama and some congressional Democrats in January when he broke what the Obama administration considered protocol and invited Netanyahu to speak before Congress.

Obama declined to meet with Netanyahu during the visit earlier in March because he didn't want to exert undue influence on Israel's elections.