For first time since Iran deal, group of Democratic senators meet Netanyahu

All the members of the delegation, which arrived Tuesday for a two-day visit, stood with Obama on Iran.

By HERB KEINON
Updated: JANUARY 7, 2016 07:26
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador Dan Shapiro (left) pose with US Democratic senators yesterday. (photo credit: CHAIM TZACH/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador Dan Shapiro (left) pose with US Democratic senators yesterday.
(photo credit: CHAIM TZACH/GPO)
An eight-person Democratic senate delegation met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, the first group of Democratic senators to visit the country and meet the premier since the bruising battle over the Iran deal last summer.
All the members of the delegation, which arrived Tuesday for a two-day visit and was led by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, stood with US President Barack Obama and supported the Iran deal. None of the members of the delegation are up for reelection in 2016.
In addition to Gillibrand, the group included Chris Coons of Delaware, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Gary Peters of Michigan.
The votes of Coons and Booker were particularly disappointing to pro-Israel supporters in the US who opposed the Iran deal, who thought these two senators were among the most likely lawmakers to join the four democratic senators who did not support the deal.