Madeleine Albright: Netanyahu Should Deal With Problems 'In His Neighborhood' Instead Of Speaking To Congress

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said she thinks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not travel to the United States to give a speech to a joint session of Congress next month.

"He is interfering in our internal affairs, and I don't want to interfere in Israeli internal affairs, but it strikes me that there's an awful lot going on in his neighborhood in the Middle East, and that's where he should be," Albright told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday.

Netanyahu was invited to address Congress by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) without input from the White House. The timing of the speech, which comes as the U.S. is working to finish diplomatic negotiations with Iran, has been met with opposition.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) told HuffPost Tuesday "above 20" congressmen have signed a letter prepared for Boehner urging that Netanyahu's appearance be postponed until after the U.S. finishes diplomatic negotiations with Iran.

Several senators have spoken out against the speech, with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announcing they would not attend the joint session.

"The unfortunate way that House leaders have unilaterally arranged this, and then heavily politicized it, has demolished the potential constructive value of this Joint Meeting," Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. "They have orchestrated a tawdry and high-handed stunt that has embarrassed not only Israel but the Congress itself."

Watch a video of Albright's comments above.