The divisiveness present between Republicans and Democrats on key issues has now expanded to an international level as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress Tuesday.

Against the wishes of President Barack Obama, some leading Congressional Republicans invited Netanyahu to speak about the issue of Iran’s nuclear program and the American role in its ongoing negotiations, a speech made just two weeks from an election for Prime Minister of Israel. The White House, meanwhile, refused to meet with Netanyahu for the duration of his visit, citing objections to meeting so close to an election, and also protested that the invitation without executive consent constituted Netanyahu interfering in American domestic policy, for Netanyahu advocates the tougher stance towards Iran supported by Republicans

The subject of the talks related to negotiations in progress about Iran’s ongoing nuclear program being conducted by the five permanent members of the security council (the US, France, Great Britain, Russia, and China) as well as Germany that may conclude in a deal where Iran ends up with a limited ability for nuclear capacity. Such a result is unacceptable for Israel, which has repeatedly stated that it views the idea of Iran with any nuclear capability as too dangerous to allow for their own national security, an interesting point given the turbulent historical and religious conflict between Jewish Israel and the Islamic Middle East, particularly with Iran.

“This deal doesn’t block Iran’s path to the bomb, it paves Iran’s path to the bomb,” Netanyahu said in his speech, reported by the BBC.

Netanyahu also expressed concern about whether Iran would honor the terms of any deal that limits its program.

“[Iran] plays a pretty good game of hide and cheat with UN inspectors,” Netanyahu said.

The overall impacts of this speech range from both short and long-term, as the political fallout may result in changes to who wins elections and how certain policies are viewed. Ultimately, however, the biggest change could be a temporary bad-feeling between the U.S. and Israel that might affect their ability to form a united front on key issue until things cool down. In this era of American partisanship and political fighting along the party line, now a direct impact to international relations has made itself present.