Members of Congress are still planning to attend the Munich Security Conference next month despite public concerns over a conference official’s stance on Israel.
Conference Chair Christoph Heusgen set off a controversy when he said Germany should enforce the International Criminal Court’s warrant and arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who traditionally co-leads the congressional delegation to Munich, responded to Heusgen’s comments last week by saying the conference “is now very much in doubt.”
Heusgen’s statement comes as House and Senate Republicans are planning on quickly moving through a bill through Congress imposing sanctions on the ICC. The controversy threatened to derail plans to attend the conference, an important meeting point for U.S. and European defense leaders.
But multiple members we spoke to told us they were still coordinating with Graham to plan their trip to the flagship international security conference, one that’s only grown more important since Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Graham’s office told us they’re hopeful the issue “works itself out” but maintained that Heusgen’s comments “were beyond offensive.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), the Democratic co-lead on the Munich delegation, plans on attending the conference this year.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) also told us he wants to attend and said he was in contact with Graham. Another Munich stalwart, Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), is also planning on going.
