Benjamin Netanyahu

The White House, which was not informed of the invitation, called it a departure from diplomatic protocol. House Speaker John Boehner said, "Congress can make this decision on its own."

Secretary of State John Kerry questioned the Israeli leader's "judgment" on talks with Iran. Earlier, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Netanyahu's address to Congress was hurting relations.

The Israeli leader will meet with Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Harry Reid, D-Nev., after his March 3 speech. Also, two senior Obama administration officials will address the AIPAC conference.

"The move has created bad blood between Netanyahu and Obama, and relations between the two countries have suffered," NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

But, the Israeli premier told AIPAC, reports of a decline in ties between the allies were "not only premature, they're just wrong." The remarks come amid tensions between the countries.

The bill, which must be approved by Parliament, defines Israel as "the nation-state of the Jewish people." It has angered not only Israel's Arab citizens, but also members of the coalition government.

But the prime minister maintained Israel's bottom line of "full dismantlement" of Iran's enrichment program and called the new rhetoric from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "hogwash."