Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – News broke Friday morning that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress July 24. 

Speaking in Springfield Friday morning, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is not keen on the idea. “It’s troubling that he would be making this trip,” said Durbin. “We are engaged in a war that is very controversial. First and foremost, Israel has the right to exist. They have a right to defend themselves. What happened on October 7 of last year was horrible. 1,200 innocent people were killed. I’ve seen the videotapes of those massacres. It’s just heartbreaking.”

The senator says he prefers a two-state solution.

On other topics, Durbin said perhaps farmers can be persuaded to use cover crops to try to prevent another dust storm like the one which closed Interstate 55 in the Bloomington-Normal area Thursday.